New Zealand history gifts

Mana. It's a big word. But what is it? Are you born with it, can you earn it, can it be taken away? For more than five decades, Tāme Iti has stood at the heart of Aotearoa's struggle for indigenous rights. From land marches to performance art, police raids to prison cells, his voice has challenged New Zealand to reckon...

New Zealand is a democracy: the people should be in charge. In this timely and provocative book, Sir Geoffrey Palmer draws on his experience as former Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Attorney-General to get people thinking about the state of New Zealand’s democracy. Palmer offers rare insights into the machinery of power and its vulnerabilities, and rather than surrendering...

The Chief and the Empire uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential Māori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the Pākehā world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own. On a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close...

Discover the vibrant world of Aotearoa New Zealand with the richly engaging Amazing Aotearoa Activity Book by Gavin Bishop. This delightful activity book offers over 60 captivating games, puzzles, and activities that invite children to explore the heritage, culture, and natural beauty of New Zealand in an interactive and educational manner. Inspired by Gavin Bishop's acclaimed books Aotearoa: The New...

Be Brave

Updated Edition 2025 This new edition contains a completely up-to-date timeline. Winner of four major awards.Brilliantly written by award-winning journalist Rebecca Macfie. 'Devastating account of a needless tragedy' - Otago Daily Times'Lucid, exhaustive, enraging' - New Zealand Listener'Compelling account of what went wrong' - Weekend Herald'Highly readable, sometimes shocking' - The Press'Compulsory reading for directors, managers and business students' -...

In Becoming Tangata Tiriti, Avril Bell brings forth an insightful exploration of the challenging yet rewarding journey of engaging with te ao Māori and embracing the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi. This compelling work gathers the voices of twelve non-Māori individuals—dedicated professionals, activists, and everyday citizens—who have made sincere efforts to integrate te Tiriti into their daily lives and...

The definitive and bestselling history of Aotearoa New Zealand by one of our leading historians, continuously in print for 20 years. This bestselling book by the late Michael King is the unchallenged contemporary reference on the history of New Zealand. First published in 2003 and hailed as a triumph of careful research, wide reading and judicious assessment, it has been...

In 1988, Silvia Cartwright published what would become a landmark report, the Cervical Cancer Inquiry, into medical malpractice against cervical cancer patients. While many praised the investigation, some in the medical fraternity dismissed it as a feminist witch-hunt and rallied behind the professor whose research was denounced. The controversy spilled beyond lecture theatres and hospital corridors. One day, a social...

A revised edition of the best-selling book containing two new chapters covering the last decade and a half. Struggle Without End by Dr. Ranginui Walker is a compelling history of Aotearoa, New Zealand, viewed from a distinctly Māori perspective. Dr. Walker meticulously traces the journey of the Māori people from their Polynesian origins, through the arrival of European settlers in...

Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi by Mark Derby and Ross Calman is an illuminating and comprehensive exploration of one of New Zealand's most significant historical documents. This meticulously researched book delves into the creation, signing, and lasting impact of the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs. The narrative...

This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...

‘Where once I saw a view as I drove around the Taranaki coast along State Highway 45, I now see confiscated land from an invasion road. The creation story I used to subscribe to, the one in which hard-working people came here and settled the land, now jars. Weirdly, even the lawn looks different. The form of things just won’t...

Aotearoa, by Gavin Bishop, is a masterfully crafted visual history that invites readers to dive into the rich and dynamic narrative of New Zealand. This extraordinary book spans from the inception of our planet with the Big Bang, through to the possible futures of Aotearoa, engaging readers with its beautifully detailed and lush illustrations. Bishop's storytelling prowess shines as he...

Like many 13-year-old girls, Sofia's main worries are how to get some groovy go-go boots, and how not to die of embarrassment giving a speech at school! But when her older brother Lenny starts talking about marches and protests and overstayers, and how Pacific Islanders are being bullied by the police for their passports and papers, a shadow is cast...

Twelve-year-old Niko lives in Pohe Bay, a small, rural town with a sacred hot spring and a taniwha named Taukere. The government wants to build a prison over the home of the taniwha, and Niko's grandfather is busy protesting. People call him porangi, crazy, but when he dies, it's up to Niko to convince his community that the taniwha is...

Discover the freedom of the open road with Lonely Planet's New Zealand's Best Road Trips. This trusted travel companion features 25 amazing drives, from 3-day escapes to 2-week adventures. Cruise Bay of Islands, meander to vineyard restaurants on Waiheke Island, and spot whales off Kaikoura Coast. Get to New Zealand, rent a car, and hit the road! Inside Lonely Planet's...

It's 1818 on the East Coast of Te Ika-a-Maui, Aotearoa. Hine-aute, granddaughter of the legendary warrior Kaitanga, is fleeing through the bush; a precious yet gruesome memento contained in her fishing net. What follows is the gripping tale of a people on the cusp of profound change that is destined to reverberate through many generations to come. The Europeans have...

Bible & Treaty: Missionaries Among the Maori is a complex and colourful adventure of faith, bravery, perseverance, and betrayal that seeks to recover lost connections in the story of modern New Zealand. It brings a fresh perspective to the missionary story, from the lead-up to Samuel Marsden's first sermon on New Zealand soil, and the intervening struggle for survival and...

'Fascinating and illuminating, this book tempers the justifiable rage with sharp and funny pinpricks to the pompous.' VAL MCDERMID, author of Past Lying 'As well as a highly entertaining read, How To Kill A Witch is a tour de force of research, understanding and compassion.' PROFESSOR SUE BLACK, author of All That Remains 'Serious and angry, but so completely accessible,...

A prize-winning historical novel that has become a New Zealand classic. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: "We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books...

Victorian Wellington street by street In 1891, a remarkable map of Wellington was made by surveyor Thomas Ward. It recorded the footprint of every building, from Thorndon in the north and across the teeming, inner-city slums of Te Aro to Berhampore in the south. Updated regularly over the next 10 years, it detailed hotels, theatres, oyster saloons, brothels, shops, stables,...

Neville Peat has been a New Zealand writer for over 50 years, and during his working life has visited many of the islands within Aotearoa's marine realm, from the tropics to Antarctica. This book is about these islands, including Stewart Island/Rakiura, Anchor Island in Tamatea/Dusky Sound, Kapiti Island and Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf. Further afield, the book also...

Hine Toa is an incredible memoir by a trailblazing voice in women's, queer, and Māori liberation movements. 'Remarkable. At once heartbreaking and triumphant' – Patricia Grace In the 1950s, a young Ngahuia is fostered by a family who believe in hard work and community. Although close to her kuia, she craves more: she wants higher education and refined living. But...

Better the Blood is described as 'a compelling, atmospheric page turner with an authentic insight into Māori culture' by Val McDermid. A DETECTIVE IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH. A KILLER IN SEARCH OF RETRIBUTION. A CLASH BETWEEN CULTURE AND DUTY. THE PAST NEVER TRULY STAYS BURIED. WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE. Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman is a...

New Zealand once ranked among the world’s most prosperous nations. Not any longer. Why has our economic performance lagged behind countries we once outpaced? And what will it take to reverse the decline? In Uncomfortable Economics, David Schnauer shows that New Zealand’s underperformance is not inevitable. It is the result of choices — cultural and political — that can be...

‘The legitimacy of the state is at best questionable and certainly remains legally unsettled.’ Legal scholar Claire Charters (Ngāti Whakaue, Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi and Tainui) confronts the deeply rooted questions surrounding the legitimacy of the New Zealand state and its sovereignty over Māori. Drawing from her influential writings and speeches, Charters critiques the judiciary’s historical silence on the state’s claim to...

An accessible guide to significant places and people of the New Zealand Wars from a Māori perspective. This comprehensive guidebook journeys through the pivotal sites of the New Zealand Wars, from the Far North to the top of the South Island, offering a unique perspective on events that shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. With engaging and insightful commentary, Lauren Keenan (Te...

All That We Know, authored by Shilo Kino, masterfully captures the vibrant and complex essence of contemporary Aotearoa, New Zealand, threading together the intricate relations between the past, present, and future. This compelling novel boldly explores themes of identity, love, activism, and the enduring impacts of colonisation. Meet Mareikura Pohe, a young woman teetering on the edge of great personal...

Great Tales of Aotearoa uncovers the stories that helped build our collective history, from pioneering tales of New Zealand's first bank and company to stories of high treason, nautical disasters, courage and survival. For over 40 years, retired journalist Tom Clarke has compiled this collection of fascinating, entertaining and extraordinary tales from New Zealand's storied past.

The New Zealand Wars | Nga Pakanga o Aotearoa by Vincent O'Malley delves into one of the most significant series of conflicts in New Zealand's history. This comprehensive work meticulously examines the wars that were fought between the British Crown and various Māori groups from 1845 to 1872. Through vivid narrative and incisive analysis, O'Malley brings to life the battles...

New Zealand's underworld of organised crime and deadly gangs 'The best true-crime book of the year by a long stretch.'- Steve Braunias, Newsroom 'A series of rip-snorting yarns about gangs, drugs, fancy cars, wads of cash, violence, and guns - Aotearoa New Zealand style.'- Simon Bridges In Gangland, author and award-winning investigative reporter Jared Savage takes readers on a gripping...

"There was this large world of rolling time and shifting spaces, and that small, stilled world of horror and unease - they fit inside each other, a sphere within a sphere." Set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s 1866 gold rush, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton begins as young prospector Walter Moody arrives on the West Coast to seek his...

The Parihaka Woman by Witi Ihimaera is a masterful blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction, a novel set against the backdrop of one of New Zealand's most significant and tumultuous periods. The story brings to life the captivating journey of Erenora, a courageous woman from the peaceful settlement of Parihaka in Taranaki, which is thrust into turmoil during the...

A breathtaking collection of 200 photographs expertly colourised by Aotearoa New Zealand's premier colourist, Brendan Graham, with commentary from award-winning historian Jock Phillips ONZM Our Land in Colour celebrates the rich story of Aotearoa through the restoration of images never before seen in colour. Two hundred images have been meticulously colourised, opening a window back in time with remarkable detail....

A new edition of the bestselling short history on New Zealand, updated to include the Helen Clark years, the rise of John Key, the Christchurch earthquakes and the 2011 Rugby World Cup!

Meet Dame Whina Cooper, the kuia who championed Māori rights and women's rights and led a famous hīkoi for positive change. The true story of one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most exceptional leaders and a courageous wahine toa, who united thousands of Māori and Pākehā to address injustices, and whose mana and determination continue to inspire us today. David Hill's...

In a book that is both deeply personal and highly political, Melani Anae recalls the radical activism of Auckland's Polynesian Panthers - the movement modelled on the US Black Panther Party but without guns. The Polynesian Panthers was founded in response to the racist treatment of Pacific Islanders in the era of the Dawn Raids. Central to the group was...

This book describes one of the most extraordinary and fascinating stories in New Zealand history. In the early part of the last century, several thousand runaway seamen and escaped convicts settled in Maori communities. Jacky Mamon, John Rutherford, Charlotte Badger and many others—this is their largely untold story. They were regarded as unsavoury renegades by the European settlers, but amongst...

The House That Jack Built is a book with two strands. The main rhythmic text, based on the well-known rhyme, tells the story of Jack Bull, who travels to New Zealand from London as a new settler in 1798. The illustrations tell the story from a Māori perspective—beginning with the creation story of Papatūānuku and Ranginui and showing the changing...

A large-format, stunning visual history of the New Zealand Wars of the 1800s, suitable for children and adults, by the multiple-award-winning Gavin Bishop. Discover the key people, perspectives and battles of the New Zealand Wars in this award-winning, powerfully told and richly illustrated visual history by Gavin Bishop. Auē! Te mamae! Navigate the defining moments of the wars, visit the...

'A signally important text in the canon of Maori history.' - Michael Stevens The dynamics of an evolving southern world are mapped by distinguished archaeologist Atholl Anderson in a new edition of his groundbreaking book from 1998. The Welcome of Strangers traces the early migrations of Waitaha and Kati Mamoe people and the later arrival and settlement of Ngai Tahu....

"Andrew Crowe has produced a masterful synthesis of the remarkable voyaging history of the Polynesians." Prof Patrick V. Kirch, Chancellor's Professor Emeritus and Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California at Berkeley. Pathway of the Birds casts light on a neglected epoch of world history, one that saw Polynesians expand their territory across the world's largest ocean....

On 25 April 1915, Allied forces made a bold and fateful landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula, a strategically critical locale in present-day Turkey. Their mission was clear: to secure the sea route between Britain and France in the west and Russia in the east. However, after eight gruelling months of intense combat, the campaign ended in failure. Despite this, the...

Meet Dame Whina Cooper, the kuia who championed Māori rights, women's rights, and led a famous hīkoi for positive change - te reo Māori edition of Mother of the Nation, translated by Stacey Morrison. A Māori-language, illustrated true story for children about Dame Whina Cooper, one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most exceptional leaders - a courageous and outspoken wahine toa...

Missing Persons by Steve Braunias is a compelling collection of twelve extraordinary tales of disappearance, showcasing the masterful true crime writing of New Zealand's award-winning author. Within its pages, you will encounter the chilling story of former journalist Murray Mason, found dead in the Auckland Domain. Delve into the mysterious death of Socksay Chansy, discovered lifeless in a graveyard by...

Seventeen-year-old Riki is worried about school and the future, but mostly about his girlfriend, Gemma, who has suddenly stopped seeing or texting him. But on his way to see her, he's hit by a bus and his life radically changes. Riki wakes up one hundred years earlier in Egypt, in 1915, and finds he's living through his great-great-grandfather's experiences in...

History of New Zealand and its Inhabitants offers an engaging and provocative narrative from the unique perspective of Dom Felice Vaggioli, an Italian Benedictine monk who was sent to Aotearoa New Zealand during the late 19th century. This English language translation captures Vaggioli's observations and reflections on the lifestyles, customs, and historical events he encountered while serving in Auckland, the...

In this major work, the leading Māori political scientist Dominic O’Sullivan draws on theories of republicanism and the commonwealth to challenge understandings of Te Tiriti as a partnership between races, or between Māori people and the Crown. O’Sullivan also critiques the idea that Te Tiriti created one people, assimilating Māori into colonial ways of governing. Instead, he proposes a new...

South Island 1000pc Puzzle is a captivating 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring New Zealand's South Island. The finished puzzle measures 688 x 493mm, while the box dimensions are 365 x 270 x 58mm. This puzzle showcases hand-drawn, original colour artwork in stunning detail. Discover delightful details, quintessential Kiwi sculptures, and various places of interest. Additionally, you can learn the meanings behind various...

This book is for people who enjoy driving and exploring the stories of our back roads, but most of all, it is for people who love New Zealand, whether they choose to do it from behind the wheel of their SUV or the comfort of their sofa. Stories From Our Back Roads South Island will introduce you to some fascinating...

An epic, award-winning account of Pakeha-Maori relations immediately following Captain Cook's voyages to New Zealand. 'Vivid, convincing and utterly memorable.' —Michael King, North & South Anne Salmond's extraordinary Between Worlds begins with the arrival of Cook's second expedition in 1773 and takes the story through to 1815, with the establishment of the first British missionary settlement in the Bay of...

A captivating and incisive account of New Zealand's Land Wars - from a Māori perspective. From the earliest days of European settlement in New Zealand, Māori have struggled to hold on to their land. Tensions began early, arising from disputed land sales. When open conflict between Māori and Imperial forces broke out in the 1840s and 1860s, the struggles only...

In mid-winter, Matariki rises in the pre-dawn sky, and its observation is celebrated with incantations on hilltops at dawn, balls, exhibitions, dinners, and a vast number of events. The Matariki tradition has been re-established, and its regeneration coincides with a growing interest in Māori astronomy. Still, there remain some unanswered questions about how Matariki was traditionally observed. These include: What...

In 1840, over 500 Māori leaders put their names to a significant new document: Te Tiriti o Waitangi or the Treaty of Waitangi. Through their signatures, moko or marks, they were making an agreement with the British Crown, represented by Consul and Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson. At stake was the sovereignty of the country, the governance of the land. The meanings...

The State of Māori Rights was first published in 2011 and brought together a Māori view of events and issues that occurred between 1994 and 2009 with a direct impact on Māori. This includes the 1994 fiscal envelope policy debate, the 50,000-strong protest march against the foreshore and seabed legislation, the Waitangi Tribunal and its Treaty claims process, and media...

With a major law change in early 2021, all people who have formed trusts will need to bring the management of their trusts into line with the new legislation. Find out how! In 2021, The Trusts Act 2019 comes into force. This is the first major trust law reform in New Zealand in 70 years. Many of the key changes...

Le Quesnoy (pronounced Leck con wah) is a town in northern France. It is surrounded by high walls and deep trenches. In World War I, it was occupied by the German army for four long years. In November 1918, the town was liberated by soldiers from far-away New Zealand. Because these men used a bit of Kiwi ingenuity, they were...

The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a central document in New Zealand history. This lively account tells the story of the Treaty from its signing in 1840, through the debates and struggles of the nineteenth century, to the gathering political momentum of recent decades. The third edition of The Story of a Treaty/He Korero Tiriti takes the narrative...

Regardless of upheavals at the highest political level, the narratives and analyses in this book demonstrate that the Treaty relationships built on the ground may continue to develop and persist. This is the third volume by leading scholars and researchers in a series discussing the complexities of te Tiriti o Waitangi issues. Together, this group of essays takes a dynamic...

Welcome to our story, this history. Whichever part of the world the bones of your ancestors lie, wherever their ashes may have been dispersed, here you will find traces of them, and of yourself. It is a story of colonisation and resistance – and a history that has never stopped repeating itself. The New Zealand Wars of the mid-nineteenth century...

The Great War for New Zealand by Vincent O'Malley is an authoritative and stirring account of a pivotal chapter in New Zealand history. This monumental work delves into the Waikato War of 1863-64, a conflict that profoundly shaped the course of the nation. O'Malley meticulously chronicles the origins, impact, and aftermath of this significant war, providing readers with a comprehensive...

To the colonised, the term 'research' is conflated with European colonialism; the ways in which academic research has been implicated in the throes of imperialism remains a painful memory. This essential volume explores intersections of imperialism and research—specifically, the ways in which imperialism is embedded in disciplines of knowledge and tradition as 'regimes of truth.' Concepts such as 'discovery' and...

"You were made a Pakeha, and the name of England was given to you for your tribe. I was made a Maori, and New Zealand was the name given to me. You forgot that there was a space fixed between us of great extent - the sea. You, forgetting that, jumped over from that place to this. I did not...

• Celebrates New Zealand’s bilingual heritage with puzzles incorporating both languages.• Crammed full of great activities to keep children challenged.• Learn about such things as New Zealand inventors, places and traditional Māori culture.• Expands vocabulary and knowledge of te reo.• Hours of fun and incidental learning!  

An engrossing portrait of #1 bestseller Yanis Varoufakis's political awakening, told through the extraordinary history of his family and the tumultuous twentieth century in Europe. Eleni put an arm around him and said, "Come, come, life is ahead of us. Raise your soul now. We have much to do." This is a book about how the great forces of history...

A True NZ Story Join Danny Fisher, his granddaughter Pru, and his dog Kiwi as they take you back in time... To 1919, when our national emblem—the KIWI—was carved into the chalky slopes of Beacon Hill, above Sling Camp in Southern England by NZ soldiers at the end of WW1. Discover how our Kiwi was saved from extinction by Danny...

The unsolved mystery of who killed Jeanette and Harvey Crewe in their Pukekawa farmhouse in 1970 continues to fascinate. It remains one of the most controversial cases in New Zealand legal history. The murders spawned two trials, two appeals, several books, a royal commission, a film, and—eventually—official findings of police corruption that shocked New Zealanders. It also resulted in a...

A spellbinding story of a community defending their land, by one of New Zealand's most established contemporary writers. Destroy the land and sea, we destroy ourselves On the remote coast of New Zealand, at the curve that binds land and sea, a small Māori community live, work, fish, play, and tell stories of their ancestors. But something is changing. The...

Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History is a landmark publication that meticulously portrays the extensive journey of Māori history from Pacific origins to the twenty-first century. Authored by Atholl Anderson, this richly illustrated book spans numerous generations, offering readers a vivid and comprehensive narrative that is anchored in specific localities and histories. The book unfolds across fifteen compelling chapters, each of...

Picture, for a minute, every artwork of colonial New Zealand you can think of. Now add a chain gang. Hard labour men guarded by other men with guns. Men moving heavy metal. Men picking at the earth. Over and over again. This was the reality of nineteenth-century New Zealand. Forced labour haunts the streets we walk today and the spaces...

A Short History of Farming in New Zealand by Gordon McLauchlan delves deep into the rich tapestry of New Zealand's agricultural heritage. This compelling narrative takes readers on a journey through the myriad transformations of the farming industry, from its earliest beginnings to its current standing as a global leader in agricultural exports. The book intricately details the farming methods...

Rotorua district, 1886. Englishman Cyprian Marsh has been despatched to the colonies in pursuit of his wayward half-brother. The only clue is the beautiful but mysterious Alice Bright, who has led him from the whorehouses of Melbourne to Te Wairoa, a tourist village near the Pink and White Terraces, in the shadow of Mount Tarawera. As the earth sends signs...

The Unsettled explores what it means to own your past. After Richard Shaw published his acclaimed memoir The Forgotten Coast in 2021, he connected with Pākehā individuals possessing long settler histories. These individuals were beginning to confront the truth behind their families' 'pioneer stories', questioning the foundations of aggressive acts of colonisation and land confiscation upon which these narratives were...

The life and letters of one of the first European women to settle in New Zealand. In 1822, Marianne Williams, with her missionary husband Henry and their three small children, left England forever. Their new home, in New Zealand's Bay of Islands, was a remote one-house settlement—the Church Missionary Society mission station headquarters. This was nearly twenty years before the...

Piece together this glow-in-the-dark puzzle to learn about the 9 stars of Matariki. Watch the stars start to glow as you complete the puzzle! Perfect for young learners. Features & Benefits 100 Piece Puzzle Puzzle Size: 50 x 34 cm Age: 4 years and above

On 12 July 1863, British and colonial troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Duncan Cameron crossed the Mangatawhiri stream, Waikato Maori's northern border, instigating the Waikato War. In order to do so, they had amassed a vast infrastructure that included building the Great South Road (the 'Road to War'), establishing a military supply train capable of providing for the...