Christianity Reaches the Chathams

From Moriori: A People Rediscovered, by Michael King (Penguin, 2017), Kindle Loc. 1392ff.: Peace was sealed late in 1842 when a party of Church of England Maori missionaries arrived in the Chathams and converted most of Ngati Tama and Ngati Mutunga en masse. Many of those who were not persuaded were mopped up the following year by the Reverend John Aldred, a Wesleyan, who established loyal followings of Maori and Moriori at Hawaruwaru and Tupuangi. Only the Ngati Kuri hapu of Ngati Mutunga remained aloof from both denominations. Although there was inevitably some doubt about the depth, understanding and sincerity of such rapid conversions, the adoption of Christianity did have one immediate and long-term benefit for the Moriori: while most remained enslaved, it brought to an end the callous and spontaneous killings with which their owners had, up to this time, been able to terrorise them. From 1842 Moriori lives were still nasty and brutish; but they were not as short as they had been…

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