Three forms of Maori and Pakeha interaction before 1840.

Essay by bring_bac_the_biffCollege, Undergraduate June 2003

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(a) Describe THREE forms of Maori and Pakeha interaction before 1840. Evaluate the view of modern historians that Maori dominated these early exchanges and acted out of primarily Maori motives.

Pre 1840 contact between Maori and Pakeha was limited to the coast and revolved around trade, religion and in some cases conflict. These early exchanges were dominated by both Maori and Pakeha depending on the situation, and throughout these exchanges Maori kept uniquely Maori motives.

Trade took many forms before 1840 and was a driving force behind contact between Maori and Pakeha. It started in 1769 when Captain Cook traded with Maori for food, sex and flax but both Maori and Pakeha had a lack of understanding of the other and some of the exchanges turned violent. This was a pattern that was to continue. Maori trade was motivated by Manna which came with came with metallic things like nails but most of all Musket's a weapon which swayed the balance of power the way of the tribe processing them.

A situation similar to that of the U.S.A. with the Atomic bomb, a balance was achieved when the U.S.S.R. developed the bomb. In the same way when almost all tribes had muskets the potential losses of warfare rose and it became not worth it. Trade soon developed from an occasional occurrence to a way of life for some Maori, as early as 1800 Maori were cultivating Potatoes in the Bay of Islands for trade with Whalers. Mostly for muskets 25 bags of potatoes could be exchanged for just one musket. Labour was also traded and Maori would work on whaling ships or in the processing of the whale meat. Another trade item was sex, Maori women would often spend several days on a ship and would be then presented with...