This photograph of a young Māori woman, by Horatio Robley, was included within the first edition of William Pember Reeves's general history, The long white cloud: Ao Tea Roa. It was published in 1898, after Reeves had left New Zealand to become agent general in London. Although Reeves never understood the full consequences of colonisation for Māori culture and identity, he was generally sympathetic towards Māori and expressed great admiration for their abilities. This image may appear to modern eyes romanticised, but Reeves probably considered that it communicated a sense of Māori as strong, dignified and noted for their arts.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Reference:
William Pember Reeves, The long white cloud: Ao Tea Roa. London: Horace Marshall & Son, 1898, facing p. 102
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