A history of the chatham islands and their inhabitants

Abstract

In the following pages an attempt has been made to give a brief yet reasonably complete outline of the history of the Chatham Islands and their inhabitants, a work which has apparently not previously been undertaken. These islands - mere specks in the South Pacific Oceanlying many miles away from the usual shipping routes, have more than passing interest for the present writer, owing to the fact that from 1918 onwards, he was for four years employed by the Government in several of New Zealand's island dependencies. There he learned to develop a high regard for the natives, as well as a keen interest in their life and customs. This interest has been accentuated by meeting and conversing with many of the older chiefs, particularly of Rarotonga, and in obtaining from them much traditional information regarding the origin of important tribes and their migrations. One experience worthy of mention is that of having had pointed out the exact spot from which tradition asserts the canoe "Takitumu" to have set out, many generations ago, on its historic voyage to Aotearoa.