Description

Old New Zealand: Being incidents of native customs and character in the old times offers a personal account of early life among the Maori by a European settler who lived as one of them. The narrator reflects on the so-called good old times before European influence, portraying a world rich in unique customs, complex social dynamics, and deeply rooted traditions. The opening section introduces this reflective mood, capturing the narrator s nostalgia and skepticism toward what he calls civilization. His early interactions with the Maori are framed by curiosity and contradiction, revealing both admiration and occasional frustration. His anecdotes span from ceremonial exchanges and social rituals to misunderstandings shaped by language and trade. Through this lens, the book examines the shifts in identity and culture brought on by European arrival, preserving a voice from a transitional moment in New Zealand s past. The narrative combines wit, cultural detail, and personal insight to document a vanished way of life with equal parts reverence and critique.