Skip to main content

Story: Northland region

Scottish settlers

Audio file

Some 800 Scottish settlers made their home at Waipū from 1854, bringing with them precious mementoes such as this book of Highland music. Their leader, Norman McLeod, was both charismatic and fanatical, preaching hellfire and demanding subservience from his followers. Listen to a descendant of one of the settlers describe her grandfather's experience of McLeod’s strict rules.

Using this item

Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Reference: 22018

Image: Waipu Scottish Migration Museum, by Shirley Williams

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Claudia Orange, Northland region – European settlement: 1840–1900, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/7602/scottish-settlers (accessed 14 July 2026).

Story by Claudia Orange, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 May 2015.