History of New Zealand and its Inhabitants

An extraordinary new book reveals sympathy for Maori from an unusual supporter -- an Italian priest. The book, History of New Zealand and its Inhabitants , has waited over a century to be translated into English, but sits comfortably alongside the contemporary Maori renaissance and claims to the Waitangi Tribunal. The book was originally published in Italy in 1896. Its author, Dom Felice Vaggioli, was one of the first Benedictine priests to be sent to New Zealand. He worked in Gisborne, Auckland and the Coromandel from 1879 to 1887. While in New Zealand, he gathered information, including first-hand accounts of Treaty of Waitangi signings, and of the Taranaki and Waikato wars. Vaggioli's writing style is dramatic and racy, and Crockett has retained this in his translation. The book is a terrific read of nineteenth century New Zealand history. Anyone interested in Maori-Pakeha relations or the history of colonization will want to read this remarkable source.