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Surveying: Whenua Māori Resources

This guide points to resources for researching Whenua Māori and their histories.

Uare Taoka o Hākena | Hocken Research Guides

Topic-based guides provide a starting point for research at the Hocken Collections, including: Kā Taoka Māori, Kāi Tahu Sources, Maps and Plans and Law. For any enquiries about Hocken material you can visit in person during opening hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, or email hocken@otago.ac.nz or contact Kākahu at  Te Hereka Taoka: kakahu.banks@otago.ac.nz

Whenua Māori Rauemi Guide on Māori Studies Guide

Library Search Ketu

Library Search | Ketu

Also known as the library catalogue. Searches the library’s owned collections (both online and physical) as well as a large number of subscription databases. A really good starting point in your research and one of the few places you can use Ngā Upoko Tukutuku / Māori Subject Headings (see below).

Ngā Upoko Tukutuku | Māori Subject Headings

Use these in Library Search | Ketu for finding sources on Te Ao Māori topics, such as Ture Whenua, Ahi Kā, Whenua Tautohotohe, Whenua Raupatu, Mana Whenua and so on. To browse the full list of headings (over 2000), visit the National Library’s page on Ngā Upoko Tukutuku. For more information on what Ngā Upoko Tukutuku are and how to use them in Library Search | Ketu see our library guide.

Māori Land Court Minute Books

These minute books contain judges' notes from court sittings of the Native Land Court and Māori Land Court and are a valuable source of land information.  Microfilm copies of these up to 1975 are held at the Hocken. There are physical indexes to these minute books that give sitting dates and locations as well as judge’s names. You will need to visit the Hocken in person to use the microfilm and the accompanying indexes. Staff are available to help you get started.

The University of Auckland  has provided an online index to the MLCMB that goes up to 1910, as well as a tip sheet for searching the index. N.B. the reel numbers in the online index are different to the reel numbers at the Hocken  - there is a finding aid available at the Hocken to help, or you can ask staff.

Databases and Other Guides

Try the recommended Databases on the below subject guides:

Law databases (try WestLaw for Waitangi settlement acts) 

Surveying databases

Māori Studies databases

Bridget Williams Historical Collection

Use your student login to access nearly 100 ebooks on New Zealand history. Keyword search and browse options. This collection is also available to search via the library catalogue, Library Search | Ketu.

See selected e-books from this collection featured above.