Under The Microscope

TE HAURAPA, by Te Ahukaramu Charles Royal; Bridget Williams Books Ltd, 1992; 112 pages; $17.95
NGA INGOA O AOTEAROA Part 2, by Hugh Young; Replay Radio, 1991; $38 (booklet and two cassettes)

It ranges from the practical -- what sort of recording equipment you should use and which written sources are useful -- to the philosophical -- how you should approach researching your history, what issues you should be aware of, and the appropriate ways of presenting or using your findings.

Royal has a gentle word of criticism for early Pakeha anthropologists who saw Maori culture through the lens of their own biases. He also chides the education system for perpetuating many of the unfounded myths that have permeated our "knowledge" of Maoritanga.

I recall, as a child, hearing of the exploits of one of my tipuna and discovering, to my amazement, that this was a story dating from the mid 1500s. Yet we still tend to have the perception that New Zealand history began in 1840. Royal does well to remind all of us that this is not so.

Hugh Young's collection of cassettes and accompanying booklet, offering an oral dictionary of Maori placenames, is a good reminder of the importance of language. Place names such as Pirongia, Hauturu and Rakaunui roll off the tapes, as spoken by local kaumatua.

This collection covers the upper North Island, with Part One covering the remainder of Te Ika. Young's aim is to provide users, particularly broadcasters, with a pronunciation guide. Given the mangling Maori often gets, it's a brave attempt and one which is worth supporting.

Vicki Hyde, NZSM