A Māori Christmas?

This post is based on some of my memories of Christmas during the 1960's and 1970's, and a bit of history. Is there a traditional Māori Christmas? In my opinion, there isn't. Christmas was introduced to New Zealand with Christianity.

The first Christmas sermon was delivered at Hohi (Oihi), Bay of Islands in 1814 by Samuel Marsden, a Church of England priest, and a member of the Church Missionary Society. Marsden believed that because Māori were experienced in trade they were perfect candidates for conversion to Christianity. Marsden explained that as Māori understood trade, this was a ‘key aspect in terms of accepting European ideals and beliefs’.

The natives of New Zealand are far advanced in civilisation and apparently prepared for receiving the knowledge of Christianity more than any savage nations I have seen. Their habits of industry are very strong; and their thirst for knowledge great, they only want the means. The more I see of these people, the more pleased I am with…they appear like a superior race of men”

Claudia Orange, The story of a treaty, p. 14

Marsden's first sermon however didn’t seem to captivate Maori who were, “clearly in a position of strength, so there seemed little reason for them to heed the new message”. This service marked the beginnings of the Christian mission to New Zealand, but there is a question over whether it was the first Christmas service.

Samuel Marsden preaching at Oihi Bay, Christmas 1814, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 7-A1818.

Clark, Russell Stuart Cedric, 1905-1966. Clark, Russell Stuart 1905-1966 :Samuel Marsden's first service in New Zealand. The Gospel of Jesus Christ first proclaimed on these shores by the Rev. Samuel Marsden at Oihi, Bay of Islands, Christmas Day, 1814 [Christchurch] N.Z. Church Missionary Society [1964]. Ref: B-077-006. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

My Māori Christmas 

The fondest memory I have around Christmas time is hearing dad saying, "the Pohutukawa is blooming, time to get some kina (sea urchins)". The Pohutukawa tree is also known as the 'Settlers Christmas Tree'. It's bright red blooms are not only visually stunning but have been mentioned as being used by Ngāpuhi leader, Eruera Patuone as part of the table decorations at a feast he hosted. Another staple of Christmas was the preparation of and enjoying a hāngi. Sir Peter Buck describes a hāngi as an earth oven with heated stones and a covering of earth. I remember that the meat cooked in the hāngi was tender, the vegetables tasty and the pudding delicious. Christmas was a time where I enjoyed helping in the preparation of food, watching my father make the hāngi, shell the kina and spending time with my whānau. Okay it was slightly about the presents as well but that's another story.

Image: Melanie Lovell-Smith, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand 

This post was written by Ani Sharland with thanks to New Zealand History Online, Te Ara: the encyclopedia of New Zealand, The Coming of the Māori by Sir Peter Buck and The Alexander Turnbull Library.