Poutini: landmark book documents the remarkable Māori history of the South Island West Coast

Poutini: The Māori History of the West Coast
Paul Madgwick

‘Māori have lived on Te Tai Poutini for at least as long as anywhere else on these islands called New Zealand, bound by ancient stories and a unique affinity to pounamu,’ says journalist, iwi historian and West Coaster Paul Madgwick. ‘So why is the Māori story so impoverished in a region so rich in storytelling?’ 

In his new 528-page book Poutini: The Māori History of the West Coast, Madgwick sets out to correct this by recording the Ngāi Tahu history of the West Coast, one of the most colourful of New Zealand regions.

Drawing on a lifetime of research, he grounds the history in early Poutini mythology and considers the migration to and occupation of Te Tai Poutini by different iwi (tribes), which led to conflicts for control of pounamu and land. 

He gives a detailed account of the succession of Māori settlements along the West Coast, interweaving pre-contact history with early interactions between Pākehā explorers and Ngāi Tahu, land sales and the allocation of Māori reserves, all of which also feature in dedicated chapters. 

The book takes in the impact of the West Coast gold rushes — and the pivotal role Poutini Ngāi Tahu played in these — and the two World Wars, development in the twentieth century through to the 1998 Ngāi Tahu Settlement, and the issues faced today. Throughout, it is the voices and images of Ngāi Tahu people that speak loud.

Although general histories of Te Tai Poutini are widely known throughout the iwi, knowledge has remained scattered and hidden, as noted by Sir Tipene O’Regan in his foreword. 

Poutini pulls these different histories into one place, incorporating a wealth of historic and contemporary photographs, detailed maps and whakapapa (genealogical charts).

This, then, is a comprehensive story of the Poutini coast, from the mists of legends to the bloody pounamu wars, the Māori discovery of gold to the feats of great mountain climbers, and the uneasy transition into a changing world.

Poutini is a joint publication of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Oratia Books. In addition to our thanks to Paul for his amazing work, Oratia acknowledges Helen Brown, Takerei Norton and Iain Gover and their team at Ngāi Tahu for all their mahi. 

Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio is launching Poutini today at Māwhera Pā in Greymouth, and a public event to present the book will take place in early December in Hokitika. 

The author

Photo courtesy Greymouth Star

Paul Madgwick (Ngāti Māhaki, Ngāi Tahu) was born and bred in Hokitika. He has been involved with Poutini Ngāi Tahu affairs all his adult life. For two decades Paul has chaired Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, based at Maitahi. Considered an authority on the Māori history of Te Tai Poutini, Paul was also a key informant for the Ngāi Tahu digital public atlas, www.kahurumanu.co.nz. With a 40-year career in journalism, he has been editor of the Greymouth Star newspaper and related titles since 2005. Paul is one of two iwi councillors on the Westland District Council, and a member of the West Coast Mayors, Chairs and Iwi Forum. He lives on Te Tai Poutini with whānau.

Publication: 5 November 2024  |  ISBN: 978-1-99-004244-7 | RRP $75.00

Hardback, 250 x 185 mm portrait, 528 pages, colour

New book celebrates and profiles New Zealand's regions

When bringing up her children in New Zealand, Oratia's media director Alessandra Zecchini felt she could have used a book that introduced them to the country's regions. 

Having grown up in Italy, Alessandra couldn't answer some of their questions, so came up with the idea of a book that did - helping not only children but also adults new to New Zealand to understand its regional identities.

Oratia's publisher Peter Dowling and editorial director Carolyn Lagahetau set out to make the book – conceived as an easy guide that is suitable for children from age 10 up, and is in English simple enough for most immigrants and tourists to access. 

Regions of New Zealand is a colourful, large-format hardback that gives readers all the basics about the diverse geography and characteristics of the nation (see link, https://www.oratia.co.nz/product/regions-of-new-zealand/)

Through maps, photos, fact boxes and simple text, the book takes readers on a tour from Northland to Southland, Tokelau to Antarctica.

Each region features in a spread of the book, with a colour map showing towns and features, summary text, photos illustrating key locations and tourist destinations, fact boxes and key info. 

In addition are sections on Māori regional relationships, early provincial divisions, outlying territories and study links.

Peter authored the book under Carolyn's editorial direction, with design by Cheryl Smith and input from a range of experts, official sources, proofreaders and photographers.

German children's book publisher Katja Korintenberg (left) gets a preview
of Regions of New Zealand with Peter Dowling at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair

Sales and marketing consultant Belinda Cooke is promoting Regions of New Zealand and can be reached for publicity enquiries on belinda@oratia.co.nz

Publication Date: 24 October 2017  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-35-3 |  RRP $29.99

Hardback, 270 x 210 mm, 40 pages colour