A Separate Authority (He Mana Motuhake), Volume II

"Tūhoe mana motuhake vs the force of New Zealand colonialism. This is a patient and perceptive work unraveling stratagems of contrasting ambition so we may comprehend the cultural instincts of 1890-1920 Aotearoa. Dr. Webster proves his deep understanding of kinship dynamics, hapū politics and the Tūhoe passion for autonomy.”

—Tāmati Kruger, Representative in the Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua, New Zealand

Following on from Volume I on the formation of the Urewera District Native Reserve, this monograph examines the period from 1908 to 1926, during which time the Crown subverted Tūhoe control of the UDNR, established a mere decade earlier. While Volume I described how the Tūhoe were able to deploy kin-based power to manipulate Crown power as well as confront one another, this volume describes ways in which the same ancestral descent groups closed ranks to survive nearly two decades of predatory Crown policies determined to dismantle their sanctuary. A relentless Crown campaign to purchase individual Tūhoe land shares ultimately resulted in a misleading Crown scheme to consolidate and relocate Tūhoe  land shares, thereby freeing up land for the settlement of non- Tūhoe  farmers. By the 1950s, over 200 small Tūhoe blocks were scattered throughout one of the largest National Parks in New Zealand. Although greatly weakened by these policies in terms of kinship solidarity as well as land and other resources, Tūhoe resistance continued until the return of the entire park in 2014—with unreserved apologies and promises of future support.