New Zealand Birth Certificates plants 50 of the most prominent signposts to New Zealand history in a coherent, stimulating sequence. Each has a one-page summary, mirrored in quality reproductions of the actual documents, plus related paintings and photographs.
Helping define who we are, telling the story of our nation in a vivid and memorable way, New Zealand Birth Certificates is a book to browse, study, consult and enjoy.
Founding documents and landmarks reproduced include:
• Cook’s Map (1772)
• Maori (1867) and women (1893) gaining the vote
• New Zealand flag (1902)
• National Anthem (1977)
• South Pacific Nuclear Free Treaty (1985)
These documents and more chart the evolution of New Zealand. Viewing the actual documents provides a further dimension to understanding the history that they preserve. The selection of 50 crucial documents serves to define a relationship with the country, and stands as a signpost for New Zealand history.
Author Biography
Dr Paul Moon is Professor of History at Te Ara Poutama, the Faculty of Maori Development at Auckland University of Technology, where he has taught since 1993. A recognised expert in the fields of the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand colonial history, he is also well known for his media commentary on historical and Maori issues. A prolific writer, Paul Moon has established a strong publishing record with 16 books relating to New Zealand history, from Hobson: Governor of New Zealand 1840-1842 (1998) through to The Edges of Empires: New Zealand in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century (2009). His study of Maori cannibalism, This Horrid Practice (2008), stimulated considerable public debate.