Abstract
This chapter reflects on the entanglements of education, Christianity, and colonialism in Aotearoa by exploring one specific friendship and partnership between the nineteenth century missionary Robert Maunsell and the influential Governor George Grey. Picard draws attention to some of the distorted theological assumptions and beliefs shared by Maunsell and Grey. He shows how these assumptions helped facilitate a civilising mission and agenda over several decades that contributed to the legacy of structural educational injustice for Māori.
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Notes
- 1.
This chapter focuses upon the relationship of Maunsell and Grey, and does not expand upon the crucial role that Kukutai and, especially, Waata Kukutai played in establishing education among Ngāti Tīpa. I do not have the necessary whakapapa or mātauranga Māori to interpret their crucial leadership. For more detailed accounts, see: Ewe (2019); Kukutai et al. (2020); Bishop (1992).
- 2.
Maunsell also wrote A Grammar of the New Zealand Language (1842) along with a translation of the Book of Common Prayer, and the beginnings of a te reo Māori dictionary which was lost in a fire.
- 3.
- 4.
Correspondence between Maunsell and Grey began in early 1847 and continued until at least 1885. Garrett (1991) proposes that following Grey’s return to England in 1868, the two do not appear to have remained close friends. However, the correspondence in the Grey Papers (Vol 23, M31/1–8) suggest the two remained good friends, visiting, supporting, encouraging, and aiding one another well into their old age. By contrast, Judith Nathan (1973) notes the extensive correspondence between Grey and Maunsell.
- 5.
Trinity College, Dublin, awarded Maunsell and honorary doctorate in recognition of this work.
- 6.
Grey supplied regular grants to Maunsell and the schools of the Lower Waikato, along with a carpenter, agricultural instructor, farm servant, tools, books, livestock, and the liquidation of debts. See, for example, his letters on October 6, 1851 and August 19, 1853. The education ordinance proposed that the heads of denominations negotiate with the governor on grants. However, Maunsell’s relationship with Grey enabled him to negotiate directly. See Maunsell to Grey (GL:NZ M31 (5); (8); (10); (11); (12)) April 27, 1849; June 13, 1850; July 9, 1851; November 14, 1851; May 28, 1852; January 10, 1853. For public debates regarding the school grants, see The New Zealander 1852a, b, October 30; November 3, 1852 and 1853 February 23; and The Daily Southern Cross 1852, November 2.
- 7.
Maunsell’s new views were influenced by a meeting with Sir William Martin and William Swainson. See Letters, January 2, 1864.
- 8.
‘While Grey sought to portray his stance as a principled one based on justice and moderation, it was he who (by his own admission) had devised the confiscation proposals and who eventually agreed to the wholesale confiscation of Waikato lands’ (O’Malley 2016, 705).
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Picard, A. (2024). Unsettling Providential Partnership: A Critical Examination of Robert Maunsell and George Grey’s Partnership in Māori Education. In: Kolia, B.F., Mawson, M. (eds) Unsettling Theologies. Postcolonialism and Religions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46121-7_8
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