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The monthly Warkworth Town Hall Talks series will take a step back in time this month, when Dr Anne Eddy presents a perspective on early Maori/Pakeha history in the Mahurangi.
Before moving to NZ in 1998, Dr Eddy studied sociology, psychology and Romanian language in Berlin and Bucharest, specialising in the area of ethnic identity and inter-ethnic relationships.
After completing studies in Maori language and culture at the University of Waikato, she did a PhD research project titled Neighbours at Puhoi River: A Cross-Cultural Dual Biography of Te Hemara Tauhia and Martin Krippner.
She says the thesis reconstructed the biographies of two relatively obscure, yet fascinating and controversial players in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Both historical figures were initiators and leaders of neighbouring settlements – Te Hemara Tauhia (1815-1891) in his role as chief of the Te Kawerau/Ngāti Rongo hapū of the Ngāti Whātua iwi, and the former Austrian captain, Martin Krippner (1817-1894), organiser of an Austrian-Bohemian settlement at Puhoi,” Dr Eddy says.
“Despite their efforts for each community, both men were accused by their own people of misusing their positions for personal gain. Te Hemara was blamed for selling off tribal lands to cover personal debts and Krippner was never forgiven for promising his Bohemian compatriots a “land of milk and honey”, while leading them to near starvation and struggle in the dense NZ bush.”
The free talk will be held at the Warkworth Town Hall on Wednesday, June 13. Doors open for refreshments at 5pm, talk starts at 5.30pm.
