John White (ethnographer)

John White (3 January 1826 – 13 January 1891) was an English public servant and ethnographer in New Zealand, known for his work on the history and traditions of the Māori people.

John White
John White
Born	John White (1826-01-03)3 January 1826 Cockfield, County Durham, England
Died	13 January 1891(1891-01-13) (aged 65) Auckland, New Zealand
Known for	The Ancient History of the Maori (1889)

Life

Son of Francis White, he was born in England, and went out to New Zealand with his father in 1832, settling first at Kororāreka. His uncle, William White, was a Wesleyan missionary in nearby Hokianga and may have encouraged their emigration to New Zealand. Kororāreka was sacked by Māori forces at the beginning of the Flagstaff War in 1845, and the White family moved to Auckland.^[1][2]

White was employed by the government in positions where he came much into contact with the Māori people. Subsequently, he was gold commissioner at Coromandel, and was appointed official interpreter and agent for the purchase of lands; he succeeded in obtaining for the colonists the title to most of the land round Auckland.^[1]

White later became magistrate of Central Whanganui. He died during a visit to Auckland on 13 January 1891.^[1]

Works

Sketch of a hei-tiki, from John White, ''The Ancient History of the Maori

White was employed by the government of New Zealand to compile a complete history of the Māori traditions; he had completed six volumes at the time of his death.^[3] They appeared in 1889 with the title: The Ancient History of the Māori, his Mythology and Traditions (Wellington).^[4] He was also author of a novelette, entitled: Te Rou, Or, The Māori at Home (1874).^[1][5]