Dr Deidre Brown: early Christian missions and taonga Maori

Photo: University of Auckland's School of Architecture and Planning.

Dr Deidre Brown has a life-long interest in the relationship between Māori and early Christian missionaries. Her whakapapa traces to tribal leader Te Pahi, who inspired Samuel Marsden to set up the first Christian mission in Aotearoa in 1814. A Methodist minister, her great-grandfather Hāpeta Rēnata was one of the first āpotoro —or apostles— in the Rātana church. 

Dr Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) is a Māori art and architectural historian at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland. She is presenting the Julie King Memorial Lecture on September 4 at Christchurch Art Gallery (as part of Word Christchurch) about the role these missions played in collecting and distributing taonga Māori in Europe. Brown is also speaking with curator Nigel Borell about his book Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art at the Auckland Writers Festival 2pm today, Saturday 27 August.

Possible self-portrait by Hongi Hika, carved in wood, Brighton and Hove Museums (PHOTO: Creative Commons)

Wooden bust thought to be representation of Ngāpuhi, Māori leader, Hongi Hika (1772-1828) (PHOTO: Macleay Collections, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, ETI.570)

The Museum of the London Missionary Society, Illustrated London News, 1859 (PHOTO: Creative Commons)

Charles Barraud, Interior of Rangiatea Church at Otaki, c.1852, chromolithograph (PHOTO: Permission of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki must be obtained before any re-use of this image)