Ngā Kōrero: 1808 and 1814 Māori-Russian Encounters in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Historical Tapestry

Abstract

This article delves into the underexplored realm of early 19th-century interactions between Māori and Russians. It focuses on Captain Vasily Golovnin’s encounter with Te Pahi’s son Matara (Ngāpuhi) in 1808 at the Cape of Good Hope and the meeting between “Suvorov” officers and Māori chiefs Korokoro, Ruatara, Hongi Hika and other Māori in Parramatta in 1814. By analysing Russian sailors’ logs and memoirs, the article explores the Russians’ perception of Māori, their communication strategies and Te Reo Māori. Importantly, it offers English translations of Russian primary accounts that have never been translated in full before, providing significant contributions to heritage preservation for hapū and iwi.