History of New Zealand and Its Inhabitants [Paperback]

Felice Vaggioli (Author), Dom Felice Vaggioli (Author), John C. Crockett (Author, Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1999 | ISBN-10: 1877133523 | ISBN-13: 978-1877133527

Vaggioli (an Italian monk, and one of the first Benedictine priests to be sent to New Zealand) published this history in 1896. Drawing on first-hand accounts, he describes the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the Taranaki wars, and the war in Waitkato. He also recorded details of the lives and customs of the Maori people he was evangelising and presents criticisms of both Protestantism and British Colonisation. This is the book's first translation into English.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Otago Pr (December 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1877133523
• ISBN-13: 978-1877133527
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,510,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Contemporaneous and irreverent, May 18, 2007

By 

Linda Thornton (Ramarama, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: History of New Zealand and Its Inhabitants (Paperback)

It might seem a bit weird to review a book by a Catholic missionary by calling it irreverent, but this author does not hesitate to frankly address areas that many others have ignored or glossed over. He is openly a champion of the Maori people and his recounting of history does not hesitate to criticize the colonising forces that exploited them in the early to mid-19th century. The biggest drawback to the book is where it is obvious that he is a product of the continuing hatred between the Roman Catholic and Anglican (and other Protestant) churches and often digresses about how terrible the Protestants are. These parts, however, are easily identifiable and can be considered in that context. Beyond those parts, Vaggioli has done a very detailed research and documentation of the settlement of New Zealand and many of the doings that went on to bring about "civilisation." Many historians seem to gloss over this book, but it should be considered seriously. It presents many facts that might otherwise be lost to us, documented by other contemporaneous sources. This edition, a recent translation from the Italian, is a must for anyone wishing to go beyond "the party line."