Colonial Life in Aotearoa NZ

A DigitalNZ Story by National Library of New Zealand Topics

Colonial New Zealand covers the years 1769-1914. The resources include European discovery of New Zealand, contact with Māori, New Zealand wars, Pākehā colonisation, social life, economy, politics and major events of the time. SCIS no: 1838439

social_sciences, arts, health, science, history, Māori, technology

Image: Pupils displaying their work outside the Kawhia Native School

Kawhia school pupils

Pupils displaying their work outside the Kawhia Native School

Alexander Turnbull Library

New Zealand’s first mission school opens

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Makowhai School

Makowhai School

Alexander Turnbull Library

Foxton State School

Foxton State School. (Manawatu Herald, 19 December 1896)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Early settlers (New Zealand)

Early settlers (New Zealand)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Unidentified family group

Unidentified colonial family

Unidentified family group

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Couple, Pakeha man and Maori woman

Pakeha and Maori couple

Portrait photography was very popular in the late 19th Century. Studio portraits like this one tended to use the same props and poses for each customer, although this Whanganui photographer William Harding was known for his less formal approach. Intermarriage between Māori and Pākehā had been common from the start of European settlement in New Zealand. There were far more marriages between Māori women and Pākehā men than between Pākehā women and Māori men.

Couple, Pakeha man and Maori woman

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: English architecture

English architecture

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Artist unknown :[The sailing ship Maori. Between 1851 and 1870?]

The sailing ship ‘Maori’

Artist unknown :[The sailing ship Maori. Between 1851 and 1870?]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Portrait of Maraea Morete (Maria Morris), from Hawkes Bay

Woman from Hawkes Bay district

Portrait of Maraea Morete (Maria Morris), from Hawkes Bay

Alexander Turnbull Library

Railways: building the rail network

Railways: Building the rail network

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Creating pastures

Pastures: Creating pastures

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Parihaka

Parihaka

Puke Ariki

Image: Letters from happy English immigrants

Letter from an English immigrant

Letters from happy English immigrants

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Chinese gold miners

Chinese gold miners

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Boys of the Southern Cross

Song: Boys of the Southern Cross

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Acclimatisation

Acclimatisation: Early acclimatisation societies

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

The merino

Sheep farming: The Merino – the earliest breed

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Family life in the colonies

FAMILY LIFE IN THE COLONIES. (Hawke's Bay Herald, 07 February 1896)

National Library of New Zealand

The New Zealand Company

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Pioneer House - First Episode

Pioneer house

Pioneer House - First Episode

NZ On Screen

Image: Settler's dwelling

Settler's dwelling

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Howick Historical Village

Howick historical village

Howick Historical Village

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: The Game of Our Lives - Home and Away

Game of our lives

The Game of Our Lives - Home and Away

NZ On Screen

Colonial leisure activities

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Colonial naming

Place names: Colonial naming

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: The Mackenzie Affair

The Mackenzie affair

The Mackenzie Affair

NZ On Screen

Image: Hunter's Gold - First Episode

Hunter’s gold

Hunter's Gold - First Episode

NZ On Screen

Image: One Hundred Crowded Years (1941)

One Hundred Crowded Years

One Hundred Crowded Years (1941)

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

USER STORY
Image: Auckland

A series of landscape paintings, drawings and old photos of Auckland city

Auckland

DigitalNZ

USER STORY
Image: Olde Dunedin

A series of landscape paintings, drawings and photographs of Dunedin city

Olde Dunedin

DigitalNZ

Health of colonial youth

THE HEALTH OF COLONIAL YOUTH. (Auckland Star, 06 October 1880)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Coach and Club Hotel, Eketahuna

Coach and Club Hotel Eketahuna

Coach and Club Hotel, Eketahuna

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Aubrey, Christopher, fl 1868-1906 :[Te Aro and Wellington Harbour]. 1889.

Te Aro and Wellington Harbour

Aubrey, Christopher, fl 1868-1906 :[Te Aro and Wellington Harbour]. 1889.

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Group portrait of a Wanganui brass band

Group portrait of a Wanganui brass band

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Bullock Teams

Bullock teams

Bullock Teams

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: A threshing machine at Temuka

A threshing machine at Temuka

Alexander Turnbull Library

Puhoi's 150 years

Services to Schools

Image: The prow of the sailing ship 'Wild Deer'

Sailing ship Wild Deer

The prow of the sailing ship 'Wild Deer'

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Procession celebrating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, Trafalgar Street, Nelson

Celebration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee

Procession celebrating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, Trafalgar Street, Nelson

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Princes Street, Dunedin

Princes Street, Dunedin

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Dairy Factory, Whangamomona

Dairy Factory, Whangamomona

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Queen Street Wharf, Auckland

Queen Street Wharf, Auckland

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Two panoramic views looking over Epsom and Remuera, Auckland, taken from the same point, some years apart

Panoramic views of Epsom and Remuera, Auckland

Two panoramic views looking over Epsom and Remuera, Auckland, taken from the same point, some years apart

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Ormondville railway viaduct

Ormondville railway viaduct

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Proclamation for civil evacuation of New Plymouth during the New Zealand Wars

Proclamation for civil evacuation

Proclamation for civil evacuation of New Plymouth during the New Zealand Wars

Alexander Turnbull Library

Highwic

Services to Schools

Brydone & Davidson

Services to Schools

History Albums

Services to Schools

Foxton state school

Services to Schools

Image: New Zealand

New Zealand

Auckland Libraries

Rural clothing: Womenswear

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Freight and warehousing: Road and rail to the early 20th century

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

EPIC

Services to Schools

Image: John Logan Campbell

John Logan Campbell

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Parliament's first sitting in Auckland

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Dominion status - Dominion status

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: George Grey

George Grey

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage