Te Rongopai 1814 'Takoto te pai!' ed. by Allan Davidson, Stuart Lange, et al

“Te Rongopai 1814 ‘Takoto te pai!’: Bicentenary reflections on Christian beginnings and developments in Aotearoa New Zealand” Edited by Allan Davidson, Stuart Lange, Peter Lineham, Adrienne Puckey.

“As a way of rethinking the bicultural beginnings of our country and our church, this book deserves attention, and lots of sequels.” Bishop John Bluck.

“cannot see a better preparation for the celebration of the bicentenary of the arrival of Christian missionaries in Aotearoa New Zealand than to read this book.” Pat Lythe, executive secretary of the Catholic Diocesan Commission for Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations.

The second decade of the 21st century marks several significant historic moments in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Māori and Pākehā relations – 250 years since the visits of Capt Cook’s ship the Endeavour and the French ship St Jean-Baptiste, centenaries of aspects of the First World War, and bicentenaries of first missions and planned European settlement.

Te Rongopai 1814 ‘Takoto te pai!’, is a collection of essays exploring the Revd Samuel Marsden’s initiative and Māori involvement in Missionary beginnings in Aotearoa New Zealand. These early missionary beginnings and their implications have been subjects of intense historical debates. This book gives insights into relations between missionaries and local iwi, how Māori viewed this new culture and religion and some of the developments that followed.