PDF Summary:Come On Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All, by Christina Thompson

Come On Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All by Christina Thompson plumbs the depths of New Zealand's colonial history and its impact on Maori culture. Through personal narratives and an examination of historical records, Thompson illustrates the tense, complex encounters between European settlers and indigenous Maori. She portrays the unfolding misunderstandings, depictions in European accounts, and struggle for cultural survival as colonialism disrupted Maori society.

Thompson weaves her family's history and marriage into Seven's Maori community, offering an intimate portrayal of the resilience of Maori customs alongside losses of land and autonomy. By recounting pivotal events like Tareha's resistance, Thompson depicts colonialism's enduring legacy for New Zealand's native people.

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Practical Tips

• Enhance your insight into Maori culture by volunteering with organizations that support Maori initiatives. Look for opportunities that allow you to work directly with Maori communities or contribute to projects that preserve and promote Maori heritage. Through consistent volunteering, you'll gain firsthand experience and build meaningful relationships within the community, leading to a deeper appreciation similar to what Thompson experienced.
• Start a cultural exchange journal with someone from a different background. This can be a mutual sharing of daily life, customs, and traditions through written entries, photos, or even small exchanged items. It's a personal way to gain insights into another's way of life, akin to being welcomed into a family circle.
• Create a personal tradition inventory where you document your own family's or community's traditions and compare them with those of other cultures. This could involve writing down the rituals you observe, the holidays you celebrate, and the meaning behind them. Over time, you'll build a personal archive that highlights the diversity of traditions and their significance in various communities.

Living among the Maori community, particularly during her time in Mangonui, had a deep impact on the author's connection to colonial history and the heritage of her own family.

During her time in Mangonui, Thompson's profound engagements with the indigenous people of New Zealand prompted a reevaluation of her ancestry and her ties to the history of colonization. The contrast between her partner's family, who have been dispossessed of their traditional territories and are fighting to maintain their cultural identity, and her own family, beneficiaries of the colonial enterprise, forces her to confront the ethical complexities of her circumstances and grapple with the enduring consequences of colonial misdeeds.

Practical Tips

• Start a personal ancestry project by using online genealogy tools to trace your family history and understand your connection to historical events. By mapping out your family tree, you can identify ancestors who may have been involved in colonization or other significant historical processes. This personal investigation can lead to a deeper understanding of how your lineage intersects with larger historical narratives.
• Engage in conversations with individuals from backgrounds different from your own to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse impacts of history. Make a conscious effort to reach out to community groups, join forums, or participate in cultural events that are outside of your usual social circles. Listen actively and with an open mind to the stories and perspectives shared. This can help you appreciate the complexities of historical consequences on different communities.

The author is determined to preserve and communicate an essential aspect of their heritage by nurturing a connection with her children to their native Maori heritage, despite living at a great distance from where their ancestors originated.

Thompson is committed to instilling in her children, who are growing up far from New Zealand, a deep respect and knowledge of the indigenous people of New Zealand's cultural legacy, reflecting her high regard for this ancestry and her determination to endow them with an appreciation for this vital aspect of their identity. She shows her commitment to fostering a legacy and bond that spans time and place by giving her children names from her Maori forebears and deeply involving them in Maori customs and familial ties, as well as sharing stories of their forefathers.

Practical Tips

• Encourage your children to engage with Maori language by integrating simple Maori words and phrases into everyday conversation. Begin with greetings, farewells, and common expressions, using online resources or language apps designed for beginners. As you grow more comfortable, expand your vocabulary to include names of items around the house, colors, and numbers. This practice will help normalize the use of another language and deepen your family's connection to Maori culture.
• Designate a "cultural craft day" each month where you and your children create art, crafts, or music inspired by your heritage. This hands-on approach encourages exploration of cultural symbols, materials, and techniques, making the learning process interactive and memorable.
• Start a tradition of planting a tree for significant family milestones, such as births, graduations, or weddings, which will grow alongside your family legacy. This living legacy not only symbolizes growth and life but also contributes to the environment. As each tree flourishes, it becomes a living marker of your family's history that can be revisited and appreciated by future generations.
• Consider incorporating ancestral names into your daily life by using them as inspiration for naming pets, plants, or even fictional characters if you enjoy writing. This practice keeps the names alive in a personal and creative way, allowing you to honor your heritage in everyday activities.
• Create a 'cultural passport' for your family where each 'stamp' represents a cultural activity or learning experience. This could include attending a cultural festival, learning a traditional dance, or cooking a meal from your ancestral homeland. The passport serves as a fun visual record of your family's cultural explorations.
• Record audio or video of you narrating your family's stories and create a private podcast or video channel for your family to listen to or watch. This modern twist on storytelling can make the experience more accessible and appealing, especially for tech-savvy kids. You might record these sessions during family gatherings, capturing the reactions and discussions that follow each story.

Colonialism's influence on Maori societal structures, land ownership, resource allocation, and the balance of power.

Thompson delves into the deep impacts of colonialism on Maori culture, examining the loss of land, the decline of natural resources, the undermining of sovereignty, the disruption of traditional customs, and the ongoing social and economic disparities faced by the Maori, the native inhabitants of New Zealand. Her historical analysis, interwoven with personal reflections, reveals the lasting effects of colonial exploitation and the continuous struggle of New Zealand's native population to attain self-determination.

The author's scrutiny of historical documents, including Turton's Land Deeds, reveals the devastating effects of colonial strategies that led to the rapid dispossession and subsequent deprivation of territory for the Maori population.

Thompson's analysis uncovers how the Maori were systematically deprived of their land ownership through a combination of coercion, legal maneuvers, and outright deceit, as evidenced by records like Turton's Land Deeds. The process of European colonization stripped the Maori of their economic base, undermining their autonomy and disrupting their traditional ways of managing land and maintaining social organization. The exchanges over territory, fueled by the shared desire of the Maori and Europeans for each other's goods and innovations, led to tragic consequences, impoverishing the native population and pushing them to the margins of society in their own land.

The Maori experienced a significant loss of their ancestral lands due to deceptive or forceful tactics employed during European colonization, which undermined their economic and political power and transformed their traditional ways of living.

The Maori experienced a profound transformation in their social organization and daily existence as a result of being displaced from their traditional territories through land deals, governmental expropriations, and the arrival of settlers. The dwindling resources within their lands eroded the economic base of the indigenous people, leading to a shift away from traditional means of subsistence and towards a dependency on the economic systems introduced by the colonizers. It also undermined their political power, as tribal authorities were increasingly bypassed or manipulated by colonial officials. Furthermore, the forced removal from lands imbued with ancestral significance severed ties with sacred sites and areas of cultural richness, disrupting the continuity of cultural heritage, and additionally resulted in a sense of estrangement that affected the unity of the community and the well-being of its people's spirits.

Context

• Various Maori leaders and movements, such as the Kingitanga (Maori King Movement), emerged in response to land loss, seeking to unify tribes and resist further encroachment.
• Many land deals were often made under duress or through misunderstandings, as the Maori and Europeans had different concepts of land ownership. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, is a notable example where differing interpretations led to disputes over land rights.
• The introduction of European farming and deforestation led to the depletion of native flora and fauna, which were crucial to the Maori diet and traditional food-gathering practices.
• The shift to a colonial economy often disrupted traditional social structures, as communal land ownership and resource management were replaced by individual land titles and capitalist economic practices.
• Legislation such as the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863 allowed for the confiscation of Maori land, often as punishment for resistance, further eroding their political influence.
• The loss and its consequences can have lasting effects across generations, as the disruption of cultural transmission and identity can lead to ongoing challenges in maintaining cultural continuity and resilience.

The diseases, conflicts, and societal upheavals of the colonial era led to a substantial decrease in the Maori population, with enduring and deep-seated consequences.

The people of New Zealand possessed little resistance to the wave of diseases like measles, influenza, and tuberculosis that European settlers brought with them, in addition to their sophisticated technologies and economic systems. The following outbreaks precipitated a dramatic decline in the number of New Zealand's native inhabitants, causing extensive desolation and a deep feeling of grief and bereavement. The introduction of firearms intensified intertribal conflicts, which in turn contributed to a reduction in population and considerable disruptions in the social frameworks. The population of Maori individuals significantly decreased because of various factors including disease, warfare, and economic hardships, which threatened their cultural legacy and had a deep impact on their society.

Context

• Similar patterns of disease impact were observed in other indigenous populations around the world during the colonial period, such as Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians, highlighting a global pattern of colonial impact.
• The introduction of firearms, particularly muskets, led to a series of conflicts known as the Musket Wars (1807-1845). These wars were characterized by increased violence and territorial expansion among Maori tribes, significantly altering the balance of power.
• Colonial education systems prioritized European knowledge and values, often undermining Maori cultural education and contributing to social stratification.
• The combined effects of disease, warfare, and economic changes led to the breakdown of traditional social structures, causing fragmentation within communities and altering kinship ties.

The author grapples with a complex heritage, marked by the involvement of her forebears in colonial land disputes and acts of hostility against native peoples.

Thompson explores the enduring consequences of the colonial era, examining the complex legacy of her ancestors' involvement in the oppression and marginalization of Native American societies. Her ancestor, Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley, who led the campaign against the Dakota Sioux, and her relative John Steele, who built his wealth through real estate speculation in Minnesota, exemplify the harsh realities of colonial expansion and the trend of Europeans enriching themselves by seizing the lands and rights of indigenous peoples. Thompson skillfully weaves her family's story together with the Maori's, underscoring the enduring and personal effects of colonial history and stressing the significance of a nuanced understanding of the moral complexities inherent in historical occurrences.

Practical Tips

• Educate yourself on current indigenous rights issues by following relevant news sources and advocacy groups. Subscribe to newsletters, follow social media accounts, or listen to podcasts that focus on indigenous rights and current events. This ongoing education will keep you informed about the modern-day implications of colonial expansion and how it continues to affect indigenous communities.
• Create a personal reflection journal focused on historical empathy. Each week, choose a different historical event or era to learn about, and reflect on how it might have affected the people who lived through it. Write down your thoughts on how these events continue to shape society today. For instance, if you're reflecting on the civil rights movement, consider how the struggle for equality has influenced current social dynamics and your own views on justice and equity.
• Engage in role-reversal debates with friends to challenge your moral assumptions. Choose a historical event and take turns arguing from opposing moral viewpoints, regardless of your personal beliefs. This exercise can help you appreciate the moral dilemmas faced by individuals in the past and recognize the weight of decisions made under historical circumstances.

Tareha, a leader of Ngati Rehia, symbolizes the continuous struggle to maintain the unique heritage and sovereignty of the Maori in the face of colonial encroachment.

Thompson highlights the resilience and adaptability of Maori society, emphasizing their resistance to cultural assimilation, their dedication to preserving traditional practices, and their creativity in developing new paths for cultural survival and political recognition. Tareha, the Ngati Rehia chief, who is connected to the author by her union with Seven, embodies the Maori's resilience in the face of colonial challenges, maintaining their unique cultural identity and autonomy.

Tareha's refusal to accept the Treaty of Waitangi epitomizes the resistance of the Maori to the progression of colonial influence.

Tareha embodied a staunch opposition to the advancing colonial influence, refusing to support the 1840 treaty that ceded Maori authority to the British monarchy, known as the Treaty of Waitangi. Although the treaty was supported by many leaders of the northern tribes, Tareha's opposition highlighted his deep understanding of the dangers associated with relinquishing Maori sovereignty and his commitment to preserving the self-rule of the indigenous people of New Zealand. His stance, despite not succeeding in stopping the colonization, highlights the enduring spirit of the Maori and their ongoing struggle for the recognition of their rights and existence.

Practical Tips

• Reflect on your own beliefs and decisions by journaling about times when you've faced pressure to conform and how you responded. Write down instances where you've either stood your ground or changed your stance due to external influences. Analyze these situations to identify patterns in your behavior and consider how these choices have shaped your personal identity. This self-reflection can help you understand the complexities of resistance and adaptation in your own life.
• You can deepen your understanding of historical treaties by comparing them to modern agreements in your life. Look at contracts or agreements you're part of, like a lease or a job contract, and consider the power dynamics and fairness involved. Are there clauses that seem unfair or that you didn't fully understand when you signed? This reflection can give you a personal sense of the complexities and potential injustices in historical treaties.
• Develop a habit of conducting a "Risk vs. Reward" analysis for significant choices you face, similar to assessing the risks of giving up sovereignty. Before making a decision, list the potential risks on one side of a paper and the potential rewards on the other. This visual comparison can help you weigh the pros and cons more objectively. If you're considering a job change, for instance, the risks might include instability or a longer commute, while the rewards could be better pay or more fulfilling work.
• Support indigenous businesses and artists by purchasing their products and promoting their work on social media. This economic empowerment can contribute to the self-sufficiency and self-rule of indigenous communities. Look for local markets, online stores, or art galleries that feature indigenous creators and consider how your patronage can make a difference.
• Create a visual representation of endurance by crafting a piece of art or a digital collage that symbolizes the qualities of resilience and strength. Use symbols, colors, and imagery that resonate with the concept of an enduring spirit. Displaying this in your home or workspace can serve as a daily reminder of the power of perseverance.
• Start a book club focused on indigenous authors to explore narratives and perspectives often overlooked in mainstream literature. This can foster a greater appreciation for the complexities of indigenous rights and recognition. For instance, reading and discussing "The Bone People" by Keri Hulme, a Maori author, could open up conversations about the themes similar to those in Tareha's story.

The practice of the Maori to tattoo and maintain the heads of their enemies, often causing conflicts with European colonists, was a way to manifest their cultural identity and demonstrate the distribution of power.

The practice among the Maori of carefully preserving and tattooing the heads of enemies, known as mokomokai, not only fascinated and appalled Europeans but also encouraged a lucrative trade in these heads, intensifying tribal conflicts and playing a role in the disturbance of indigenous social frameworks. The mokomokai held a complex role within Maori culture, encompassing various cultural and political aspects. The skulls of adversaries were held in high esteem, not only as valued trophies but also as items infused with spiritual significance and imbued with mystical strength. The safeguarding and exhibition of these items served to affirm tribal prestige, honor deceased combatants, and facilitate the establishment of peace accords.

Context

• The process of preserving the heads involved removing the brain and eyes, smoking the head, and then drying it in the sun. This meticulous process ensured the preservation of the tattoos and facial features.
• The trade in mokomokai was part of a broader pattern of colonial exploitation, where indigenous cultural artifacts were commodified, often leading to the erosion of traditional customs and societal structures.

Other Perspectives

• The range of European reactions to mokomokai was likely diverse, with some individuals possibly being indifferent or even respectful of the tradition, recognizing it as an integral part of Maori culture.
• The trade in mokomokai might have also served diplomatic purposes, such as in the negotiation of peace or the establishment of alliances, which could have, in some instances, reduced conflicts.
• Mokomokai may have been a reflection of pre-existing social structures and tensions rather than a cause of disturbance.
• The practice of keeping enemy skulls as trophies might be seen as disrespectful to the dead and their descendants, who may view this as a violation of the deceased's dignity.
• The practice of preserving and displaying mokomokai could be interpreted as a form of exploitation of the deceased, which may not align with modern ethical considerations regarding the treatment of human remains.
• The value placed on mokomokai could incentivize further warfare to obtain these trophies, rather than promoting peace accords.

The emergence of creative Maori prophetic movements, such as that established by Wiremu Ratana, showcased the adaptability and enduring nature of indigenous spiritual traditions in the period of colonial impact.

The people of New Zealand demonstrated their adaptability and tenacity when confronted with the trials of colonization by evolving their time-honored religious customs, as evidenced by the emergence of novel prophetic movements in the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the movement initiated by Wiremu Ratana. Ratana founded his movement in the aftermath of the devastating 1918 influenza epidemic, merging Christian doctrines with Maori spiritual practices, offering a message of unity and optimism to a society struggling with cultural, economic, and spiritual disruptions resulting from the imposition of colonial governance. The Ratana movement, along with other Maori religious and political movements, showcases the persistent vitality and adaptability of the Maori in transforming and revitalizing their traditions in the face of challenges.

Practical Tips

• Create a personal ritual that combines elements from different traditions you resonate with to cultivate a sense of inner peace and hope. This could be as simple as meditating with a rosary if you come from a Christian background, or incorporating Maori-inspired chants into your yoga practice. The key is to personalize the ritual so that it reflects your unique spiritual journey and brings you comfort, especially during challenging times.
• Engage in conversations with elders or long-standing members of your community to learn about traditional practices and values. Document these discussions and consider how these practices could be integrated into modern life to address cultural disconnection, much like the Ratana movement sought to heal and unify its community.
• Develop a mini-podcast series using your smartphone to interview elders or knowledgeable individuals in your community about the evolution of cultural practices. Ask them to share stories of how traditions have changed over time and the reasons behind those changes. This could include, for example, discussing how community festivals have evolved from their original form to include new elements that reflect the community's current values and interests.