In/visible Sight

Book excerpt: In/visible Sight is a fascinating exploration of a little-known part of our history: the lives of part-Māori, part-Pākehā New Zealanders in the nineteenth century. Focussing on interracial intimacy between Ngāi Tahu and Pākehā settlers, it explores how intermarriage played a key role in shaping colonial encounters. As Ngāi Tahu sought to fight the alienation of their land and protect their natural resources, marriage practices and kinship networks became an increasingly important way to control interaction with Pākehā. The book also explores the contradictions and ambiguities of mixed-descent lives, offering new insights into New Zealand’s colonial past.