A documentary series that gives history to New Zealand’s past via the retelling of the country’s geological construction, the eventual Māori settlement circa 1250 AD and the European ‘discovery’, and later usurpation, of Aotearoa from the late 18th century. Using voiceover, dramatic reconstruction, footage and stills from the country’s archives and a mixture of Māori myth and European history the series constructs a narrative that binds together the multiplicity of New Zealand’s stories.
EP 4:
1839 AD - 1852 AD
“This episode of Frontier of Dreams concerns the pivotal point in New Zealand's history, the signing of our founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, and the influx of European settlers. Co-operation between Māori and new powers was soon replaced by conflict as "flags and nations" swirled around New Zealand.
In the 1830s Britain, France and the USA had interests in the Pacific, Māori chiefs were upset by the behaviour of visiting sailors and E.G. Wakefield had a grand plan to send thousand of setters here.
These pressures forced Britain to act. Captain William Hobson arrived in the Bay of Islands in 1840 to negotiate a treaty. We look at the hurried way in which the Treaty of Waitangi was written and considered, and we hear the words of Māori chiefs as they debated it. Once they signed, New Zealand became a colony of the British Empire.
English immigrants under Wakefield's scheme in Wellington were struggling in the harsh environment. Soon there were disagreements with Māori over land. In the Nelson settlement these troubles ended in a brief, bloody battle at Wairau.
In Auckland things were easier. The programme follows Hobson as he moves the capital from Russell to Auckland and purchases land cheaply from local Māori. We also meet young entrepreneurs like John Logan Campbell and Robert Graham.
Further north trouble was brewing. Hone Heke challenges the governor by cutting down the flagpole at Russell four times. In March 1845 a battle rages in the town. The Northern War has begun.
We see British regular forces in action and how innovative Māori blunted their attacks. Then the new governor, George Grey, arrives. We watch him end the Northern War and subdue the Maori leaders of the Wairua Affray.
But the settlers want self-government and the episode ends with the New Zealand Parliament sitting for the first time. In just 12 years New Zealanders had gone from creating a colonial frontier to electing their own government." TVNZ; tvnz.co.nz; 22/06/2006
INTERVIEWS: Claudia Orange (Historian), Paul Moon (Historian), Kate Martin (Manager of Pompallier House), Kene Martin (Ngāti Hine), Philip Temple (Historian), Val Philips, Renata Tane (Ngāpuhi), Russell Stone (Historian), Sir Douglas Graham,