Story: Nation and government

The long white cloud Ao-tea-roa

The long white cloud Ao-tea-roa

In 1898 the politician William Pember Reeves wrote an influential history of New Zealand, or Aotearoa, as Māori called it. This name refers to the cloud formations which helped early Polynesian navigators find the country.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: BK-622-COVER

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'Nation and government - Nationhood and identity', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/2573/the-long-white-cloud-ao-tea-roa (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, updated 1 Sep 2016