New Zealand’s Relationship with the Pacific 1840-1940

Abstract

From 1840, New Zealand became increasingly engaged with the Pacific through a progression of shared imperial and colonial experiences; however, the Pacific is seldom featured in New Zealand history. This thesis asks why New Zealand gave prominence to Pacific relationships and it examines what those relationships tell us about New Zealand imperialism and colonialism. New Zealand was drawn to the Pacific, as the Pacific was drawn to New Zealand, because it was proximate and relevant. Early imperial relationships were shaped by political and commercial interests and then subsumed by more strategic and opportunistic considerations within a rapidly changing Pacific context. New Zealand colonialism in the Pacific was a consequence of that imperialism and followed distinct trajectories and patterns. Colonial outcomes reflected the cumulative consequences of a multitude of relationships with all participants having an interest and a role in shaping outcomes. The Pacific was a site of complex cultural interaction, exchange and innovation. This thesis examines the nineteenth-century imperial relationships that shaped New Zealand’s interest and understanding of the Pacific and then subsequent colonial relationships in the Cook Islands and Samoa in particular. Emphasis is placed on the formative periods of those relationships as cultural encounter, compromise and adaptation shaped structures that became the basis for more routine implementation. Drivers of colonial outcomes are located within relationships, an approach that focuses attention on the motives, interests and actions of participants and highlights significant Pacific agency. Pacific people engaged intellectually and culturally as they variously cooperated with or opposed colonialism to protect their interests and shape their futures. A final section builds on this analysis and introduces new material from New Zealand’s colonial experience in Niue and Tokelau to examine components of the colonial relationship. Overall, this thesis offers a new perspective of New Zealand’s engagement with the Pacific between 1840 and 1940 and new insights into the nature of New Zealand imperialism and colonialism.