Letter from Matene te Whiwhi, Otaki

Letter from Matene te Whiwhi, Otaki, 19 November 1863.

1863

1863

Shortland Papers, MS 0385/002

Hocken Library

Once the art of writing was mastered, Maori became prolific correspondents writing to each other and to the Colonial Government. These letters were often used to express anger and frustration at the policies that were being instigated by the new governing powers, especially those that bought about the loss of ancestral lands. This is a letter written by Matene Te Whiwhi to Edward Shortland, 10 November 1863. Te Whiwhi's letter is a narration of events informing Shortland of the meetings he has attended with other influential Maori leaders in the Otaki and Wellington region to discuss land issues.