History, Heritage, and Colonialism : Historical Consciousness, Britishness, and Cultural Identity in New Zealand, 1870–1940

This book presents an examination of the nexus between empire and colonial identity. Exploring the politics of history-making and interest in preserving the material remnants of the past in late nineteenth and early twentieth century colonial society, it covers indigenous pasts, as well as those of European origin. While the focus is on New Zealand, the book examines Australian and Canadian experiences to analyse the different groups and political interests. It seeks to highlight the complex network of separate and often conflicting influences upon national identity, ranging from the individual, to the community, to the national, to the transnational. The book begins by analysing the intersection between ethnographic exhibition and colonisation. While considering Maori material culture more broadly, it focuses on the place of Maori historical and cultural sites, and immovable material culture, within tourism, exhibition, and museum practice. The Centennial was a major step towards the creation of nation and the breaking down of regional parochialisms. Considering the place of history and heritage in early twentieth-century Australia and Canada alongside that of New Zealand, a number of things become clear. As New Zealand became an increasingly urbanised country, the mnemonic significance of the distant racial frontier of the early colonial period and the New Zealand Wars was trumped by the remnants of European history in the landscape. Port Arthur offers a valuable window into local attitudes to the historical fabric, originating with the small community so dependent upon the visitors the site brought in. This title explores the politics of history-making and interest in preserving the material remnants of the past in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century colonial society, looking at both indigenous pasts and those of European origin. History, heritage, and colonialism explores the politics of history-making and interest in preserving the material remnants of the past in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century colonial society, looking at both indigenous pasts and those of European origin. Focusing on New Zealand, but also covering the Australian and Canadian experiences, it explores how different groups and political interests have sought to harness historical narrative in support of competing visions of identity and memory. Considering this within the frames of the local and national as well as of empire, the book offers a valuable critique of the study of colonial identity-making and cultures of colonisation. This book offers important insights for societies negotiating the legacy of a colonial past in a global present, and will be of particular value to all those concerned with museum, heritage, and tourism studies, as well as imperial history Front matter Dedication Contents List of figures Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Glossary of Maori terms Map of New Zealand Introduction Entangled objects: tourism and the exhibition of Maori material culture Throwing stones at Napoleon: Pakeha identity and the preservation and neglect of Maori material culture The art of forgetting: history, myth, and the New Zealand Wars History from below, or, When did parochialism become a dirty word? In pursuit of a national past: ‘New Zealand is putting her historical house in order’ New Zealand in context: history and heritage in late nineteenth-century Canada and Australia Conclusion Select bibligraphy Index