Rethinking our history
Keith Newman is a passionate advocate for the Bible and the Treaty of Waitangi, the two founding documents that he believes should continue to be viewed in tandem for the outworking of a brighter, more just and balanced future for Aotearoa-New Zealand.
He says, the early missionaries had a pivotal role convincing biblically aware Maori to sign the Treaty of Waitangi as a spiritual kawenata (covenant) and that; alongside the more holistic Maori worldview (Te Ao Maori), needs to be honoured in Treaty-based decision making today.
Keith Newman, writer, poet and historian believes we need a more balanced sense of New Zealand’s early history by setting aside party political, tribal or denominational agendas.
He regularly speaks to church leaders and interest groups about the bi-cultural journey and the importance of reclaiming and feeling part of our own nation-shaping story.
His books and public speaking engagements examine where we’ve come; often from a localised point of view, in order to get a better idea of where we’re heading
Those books include Ratana Revisited (Reed, 2005 [out of print]); Ratana the Prophet (Reed 2009); Connecting the Clouds – the history of the Internet in New Zealand (Activity 2009), Bible & Treaty- Missionaries Among the Maori (Penguin 2010) and Beyond Betrayal - Trouble in the Promised Land (Penguin 2013).
He loves to explore the connections between the early Maori and missionary heroes of the faith, the stories of the Maori prophets during and after the land wars and how we might learn from the tragedies of the past to create stronger foundations for the future.
His foray into writing about New Zealand history came as he questioned why more wasn’t known about T.W. Ratana and the movement he founded and the strong relationships the early missionaries established with Maori.
In the beginning all he heard was that Ratana was a cult leader and that the missionaries main role was to soften up the Maori so that they would more readily part with their land ahead of widespread colonisation.
He says aspects of both of those urban myths still hold strong sway in New Zealand society but ring hollow, as the discerning eye examines the research.
Through his own search into New Zealand’s spiritual heritage Newman now challenges the clichés used to flippantly to dismiss the role of Christianity in the founding of New Zealand and the role of the missionaries. He also views the 28-years of Maori relationship with pioneering missionaries as critical in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
"If Maori hadn't trusted the missionaries and believed the Treaty was a spiritual covenant they would never have signed and certainly with Maori vastly outnumbering the 2000 Europeans in the country at the time they would certainly not have signed away all their chiefly rights to govern themselves."
Unfortunately within four years it was clear to Henry Williams the head of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) that both missionaries and Maori had been betrayed, he says.
References available for speaking arrangements
He says, the early missionaries had a pivotal role convincing biblically aware Maori to sign the Treaty of Waitangi as a spiritual kawenata (covenant) and that; alongside the more holistic Maori worldview (Te Ao Maori), needs to be honoured in Treaty-based decision making today.
Keith Newman, writer, poet and historian believes we need a more balanced sense of New Zealand’s early history by setting aside party political, tribal or denominational agendas.
He regularly speaks to church leaders and interest groups about the bi-cultural journey and the importance of reclaiming and feeling part of our own nation-shaping story.
His books and public speaking engagements examine where we’ve come; often from a localised point of view, in order to get a better idea of where we’re heading
Those books include Ratana Revisited (Reed, 2005 [out of print]); Ratana the Prophet (Reed 2009); Connecting the Clouds – the history of the Internet in New Zealand (Activity 2009), Bible & Treaty- Missionaries Among the Maori (Penguin 2010) and Beyond Betrayal - Trouble in the Promised Land (Penguin 2013).
He loves to explore the connections between the early Maori and missionary heroes of the faith, the stories of the Maori prophets during and after the land wars and how we might learn from the tragedies of the past to create stronger foundations for the future.
His foray into writing about New Zealand history came as he questioned why more wasn’t known about T.W. Ratana and the movement he founded and the strong relationships the early missionaries established with Maori.
In the beginning all he heard was that Ratana was a cult leader and that the missionaries main role was to soften up the Maori so that they would more readily part with their land ahead of widespread colonisation.
He says aspects of both of those urban myths still hold strong sway in New Zealand society but ring hollow, as the discerning eye examines the research.
Through his own search into New Zealand’s spiritual heritage Newman now challenges the clichés used to flippantly to dismiss the role of Christianity in the founding of New Zealand and the role of the missionaries. He also views the 28-years of Maori relationship with pioneering missionaries as critical in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
"If Maori hadn't trusted the missionaries and believed the Treaty was a spiritual covenant they would never have signed and certainly with Maori vastly outnumbering the 2000 Europeans in the country at the time they would certainly not have signed away all their chiefly rights to govern themselves."
Unfortunately within four years it was clear to Henry Williams the head of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) that both missionaries and Maori had been betrayed, he says.
References available for speaking arrangements
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Curriculum Vitae
Keith Newman: b Palmerston North, 1954 Occupation: journalist / historian / producer / communicator/ poet (six self published books) Keith Newman has had five major historical books published, has been a regular contributor to numerous newspapers and magazines and around 30 Musical Chairs programmes for Radio New Zealand National and a similar number of features for music history site Audioculture. Until 2023: Chairman of Walking on Water (WOW Inc) coastal protection group representing the Cape Coast (Haumoana, Te Awanga, Clifton); 2011 to present: Freelance writer for Hawke’s Bay’s BayBuzz current affairs magazine. Itinerant speaker on early New Zealand history (est 100 engagements 2008-2024); Cape Coast Art & Heritage Trust, trustee and chief researcher. Keith and his wife, artist Paula (Novak) (www.paulanovak.com), moved from Titirangi in Waitakere City to Haumoana in February 2009. He has a daughter Olivia, and son Miles and seven grandchildren. Awards:
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Publishing events
2013: Beyond Betrayal: Trouble in the Promised Land (Penguin 2013) 2010: Bible & Treaty: Missionaries Among the Maori — A new perspective, Penguin 2010) 2009: Ratana, Ratana- the Prophet, Penguin/Raupo).Sold out. 2008: Connecting the Clouds, the history of the Internet in New Zealand for InternetNZ. 2006: Ratana Revisited: An Unfinished Legacy (Reed). Out of print 2024: Ratana the Prophet (Oratia) Revised 15-year commemoration edition Wikipedia link: Keith_Newman Buy the books? Connecting the Clouds, Ratana the Prophet (revised version 2024), Bible & Treaty and Beyond Betrayal are available direct from the author along with prints and cards from artist Paula Novak from Shopfront The writer can be contacted on 64 6-8750116 Email: [email protected] Follow Bible & Treaty on Facebook |
