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Elsdon Best

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Best returned to New Zealand in 1886 and entered into a timber venture with his brother, using sawmilling equipment he had purchased in the United States. He also came into increasing contact with the Māori and, encouraged by Gudgeon and other notable settlers from the Taranaki, including
190:(November 1881). He left the Armed Constabulary after two years of service to travel to the United States of America, where he worked for three years, first in Hawaii and then in California, mustering cattle and doing forestry. 167:, where Best, now aged 9, went to school. After completing his formal education, he took and passed the Civil Service examination and became a clerk in 1873. Within a year he found the work uncongenial and moved to 234:, which were still relatively intact. He recorded his observations in field records and note books that he kept now for the rest of his life. His relationship with Tutakangahau is the subject of a 2010 book by 1379: 230:. For the next 15 years, he worked in the district, using his presence in the area to build up a relationship with many Tūhoe elders and record the facts of the culture and traditions of the 306:. This a monumental study in 1200 pages of the traditional history and culture of tribe with which he had spent so much of his life. From 1919 to 1923 Best took part in each of the four 163:, New Zealand, to William Best and the former Hannah Haynes Nibbs. When his father obtained a position at the Colonial Treasury, the family moved from its farmstead at Grasslees Farm to 182:
at a time of increased tensions between the Māori and the colonial settlers in the area, he became involved in the arrests of protesters. Through the influence of his brother-in-law,
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Best's devotion to his study, together with his facility in Māori, allowed him to win the confidence of the Tūhoe, whose traditions he published in a series of articles in the
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in 1892 with the intention of promoting interest in and discussion of Polynesian history and culture, Best became a foundation member. For the Society's first edition of its
1264: 332:. His ashes lay buried beneath a monument, erected in 1960, in his birth town of Tawa at Grasslees Reserve. The nearby suburb of Elsdon, Porirua was named in his memory. 1228: 984: 307: 1294: 1140: 657: 1342: 1240: 1300: 650: 1258: 1389: 1384: 1336: 1330: 214:
he wrote an article on the people of the Philippines. He also began a series of publications concerning the history of Wellington Harbour.
610: 1080: 1404: 243: 618: 276: 206:. His timber business failed in 1891 and Best moved to Wellington, where he found work as a storeman. When Smith established the 565:« L’ethnographe du vieux temps māori : progrès et décadence dans la poésie et la vision du monde d’Elsdon Best » 1374: 464: 365: 1399: 226:
began to be opened up for European settlement, Best took a position as quarter-master with the road works, beginning in
1394: 1324: 1086: 642: 426: 370: 996: 402: 288: 930: 752: 318: 1318: 1170: 1068: 900: 806: 788: 770: 716: 329: 497: 1128: 888: 858: 828: 822: 776: 728: 442: 283:, which was followed four years later by an accompanying bulletin on Māori storehouses. In 1919, his 1014: 846: 734: 268: 195: 794: 758: 626: 591: 1210: 1092: 1032: 912: 1164: 882: 800: 235: 586: 581: 314: 183: 108: 600: 1369: 1364: 876: 457:
Treasures for the Rising Generation: The Dominion Museum Ethnological Expeditions 1919–1923
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which allowed him to pursue his research in a more focused manner. In 1912, he published
186:, he transferred to a Māori contingent and later that year he participated in the raid on 8: 1222: 1200: 924: 840: 328:, survived by his widow Adelaide (née Wylie). They had no children. His grandniece was 1152: 782: 692: 207: 175: 672: 1056: 918: 710: 460: 422: 454: 199: 1276: 1104: 990: 966: 906: 722: 704: 686: 549: 478: 292: 203: 1282: 1246: 1194: 978: 470: 263: 148: 1288: 1206: 1098: 1062: 1044: 1038: 1026: 960: 948: 936: 852: 746: 740: 1358: 1306: 1182: 1134: 942: 864: 834: 764: 94: 84: 482: 474: 397: 360: 1252: 1216: 1176: 1158: 1122: 1008: 1002: 894: 812: 674: 1312: 1116: 1050: 870: 816: 455:
Wayne Ngata; Arapata Hakiwai; Anne Salmond; et al. (November 2021).
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Waikaremoana, the Sea of Rippling Waters, With a Tramp through Tuhoe Land
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1921 paper on Old Redoubts, Stockades and Fortifications in Wellington
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BEROSE - International Encyclopaedia of the Histories of Anthropology
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BEROSE - International Encyclopaedia of the Histories of Anthropology
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People associated with the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu.
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Best of Both Worlds: the story of Elsdon Best and Tutakangahau
301: 231: 445:, Wellington, New Zealand, reference number: 1/2-028237-F 632: 459:(in English and Māori). Te Papa Press. pp. 1–368. 299:, appeared in two volumes in 1924, and in 1925 Best's 147:
who made important contributions to the study of the
255:, in which he presented the lore of the district. 1356: 594:Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 275:In 1910, Best was appointed ethnologist at the 658: 537:Man of the Mist – a Biography of Elsdon Best 171:, where he worked in farming and forestry. 665: 651: 391: 389: 387: 354: 352: 350: 348: 346: 344: 244:Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 143:(30 June 1856 – 9 September 1931) was an 448: 308:Dominion Museum ethnological expeditions 262: 395: 251:. In 1897, he published the monograph 217: 1357: 416: 384: 341: 291:. A systematic survey of traditional 646: 631:Resources related to research : 550:Elsdon Best, l’ethnographe immémorial 441:Photograph by kind permission of the 267:Elsdon Best with fellow ethnographer 159:Elsdon Best was born 30 June 1856 at 614:in Wellington Public Library website 321:, and in 1919 he was made a fellow. 1390:19th-century New Zealand historians 1385:20th-century New Zealand historians 677:of the Royal Society of New Zealand 366:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography 358: 13: 596:(of which he was a founder member) 495: 14: 1416: 575: 531:Journal of the Polynesian Society 371:Ministry for Culture and Heritage 281:The Stone Implements of the Maori 249:Journal of the Polynesian Society 16:New Zealand historian (1856–1931) 1405:19th-century New Zealand writers 587:Dictionary of NZ Biography entry 563:Holman, Jeffrey Paparoa (2018). 553:by Frederico Delgado Rosa (2018) 545:by Jeffrey Paparoa Holman (2010) 417:Holman, Jeffrey Paparoa (2010). 31: 639:, Paris, 2018. (ISSN 2648-2770) 557: 403:An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 396:Bagnell, Austin Graham (1966). 807:Te Rangi Hiroa (Peter H. Buck) 592:Obituary by Te Rangi Hiroa in 498:"Drummond, Alison Edith Hilda" 489: 435: 421:. North Shore, N.Z.: Penguin. 410: 313:In 1914, Best was awarded the 258: 154: 1: 582:Works by Elsdon Best (eTexts) 518: 400:. In McLintock, A. H. (ed.). 1375:Writers from Wellington City 603:Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 7: 527:, vol. 1, pp. 199–200. 525:Encyclopedia of New Zealand 289:Māori of Wellington Harbour 287:appeared, a history of the 10: 1421: 823:Charles Ernest Weatherburn 637:"Best, Elsdon (1856-1931)" 443:Alexander Turnbull Library 304:, the Children of the Mist 682: 134: 124: 117: 101: 90: 80: 64: 42: 30: 23: 1395:New Zealand ethnologists 335: 174:In 1881 Best joined the 1400:Māori studies academics 913:Robert Anthony Robinson 75:Wellington, New Zealand 1319:Jadranka Travaš-Sejdić 801:William Percival Evans 539:by E.W.G. Craig (1964) 272: 236:Jeffrey Paparoa Holman 324:Best died in 1931 in 319:New Zealand Institute 266: 883:Johannes C. Andersen 218:Work among the Tūhoe 1223:Peter Schwerdtfeger 925:Francis John Turner 841:John Reader Hosking 543:Best of Both Worlds 1153:Patricia Bergquist 783:Duncan Sommerville 693:Thomas Easterfield 673:Recipients of the 601:Biography in 1966 359:Sissons, Jeffery. 273: 222:In 1895, when the 208:Polynesian Society 176:Armed Constabulary 1352: 1351: 1057:Michael Hartshorn 919:Ernest Beaglehole 711:Ernest Rutherford 466:978-0-9951031-0-8 138: 137: 119:Scientific career 37:Elsdon Best, 1931 1412: 1277:Margaret Brimble 1241:Richard Furneaux 1129:Peter de la Mare 1105:Trevor Hatherton 1087:Richard Matthews 991:Ralph Piddington 967:Alister McLellan 907:G. H. Cunningham 847:Herbert Williams 729:Philip Robertson 723:Thomas Cheeseman 705:Patrick Marshall 687:Leonard Cockayne 667: 660: 653: 644: 643: 612:The Land of Tara 513: 512: 510: 508: 493: 487: 486: 452: 446: 439: 433: 432: 414: 408: 407: 393: 382: 381: 379: 377: 356: 285:The Land of Tara 224:Urewera district 198:, studied their 151:of New Zealand. 71: 68:9 September 1931 52: 50: 35: 21: 20: 1420: 1419: 1415: 1414: 1413: 1411: 1410: 1409: 1355: 1354: 1353: 1348: 1343:Niels Kjærgaard 1283:Richard Blaikie 1247:Timothy Haskell 1195:John C. Butcher 997:Charles Fleming 979:Ted Chamberlain 717:Charles Chilton 678: 671: 578: 560: 521: 516: 506: 504: 494: 490: 467: 453: 449: 440: 436: 429: 415: 411: 394: 385: 375: 373: 357: 342: 338: 330:Alison Drummond 277:Dominion Museum 261: 220: 178:. Based in the 157: 113: 76: 73: 69: 60: 54: 48: 46: 38: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1418: 1408: 1407: 1402: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1377: 1372: 1367: 1350: 1349: 1347: 1346: 1340: 1334: 1328: 1325:Eamonn O'Brien 1322: 1316: 1310: 1304: 1298: 1292: 1289:Marston Conder 1286: 1280: 1274: 1268: 1265:Grant Williams 1262: 1256: 1250: 1244: 1238: 1232: 1226: 1220: 1214: 1207:Paul Callaghan 1204: 1198: 1192: 1186: 1180: 1174: 1168: 1162: 1156: 1150: 1144: 1138: 1132: 1126: 1120: 1114: 1108: 1102: 1099:Graham Liggins 1096: 1090: 1084: 1078: 1072: 1066: 1063:Herbert Purves 1060: 1054: 1048: 1045:Ira Cunningham 1042: 1039:Brian Wybourne 1036: 1030: 1027:Gilbert Archey 1024: 1018: 1012: 1006: 1000: 994: 988: 982: 976: 970: 964: 961:Harold Wellman 958: 952: 949:Brian Shorland 946: 940: 937:Lance Richdale 934: 928: 922: 916: 910: 904: 898: 892: 889:John Henderson 886: 880: 874: 868: 862: 859:Donald Macleod 856: 853:Arthur Bartrum 850: 844: 838: 832: 829:William Benham 826: 820: 810: 804: 798: 792: 789:George Thomson 786: 780: 777:Charles Cotton 774: 768: 762: 756: 750: 747:Coleridge Farr 744: 741:Robert Speight 738: 732: 726: 720: 714: 708: 702: 696: 690: 683: 680: 679: 670: 669: 662: 655: 647: 641: 640: 629: 624: 616: 608: 598: 589: 584: 577: 576:External links 574: 573: 572: 559: 556: 555: 554: 546: 540: 534: 528: 520: 517: 515: 514: 488: 465: 447: 434: 427: 409: 383: 339: 337: 334: 260: 257: 219: 216: 184:Walter Gudgeon 156: 153: 136: 135: 132: 131: 126: 122: 121: 115: 114: 112: 111: 105: 103: 99: 98: 92: 88: 87: 82: 78: 77: 74: 72:(aged 75) 66: 62: 61: 55: 44: 40: 39: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1417: 1406: 1403: 1401: 1398: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1378: 1376: 1373: 1371: 1368: 1366: 1363: 1362: 1360: 1344: 1341: 1338: 1335: 1332: 1329: 1326: 1323: 1320: 1317: 1314: 1311: 1308: 1307:Sally Brooker 1305: 1302: 1301:Stéphane Coen 1299: 1296: 1293: 1290: 1287: 1284: 1281: 1278: 1275: 1272: 1269: 1266: 1263: 1260: 1257: 1254: 1251: 1248: 1245: 1242: 1239: 1236: 1233: 1230: 1229:Ken MacKenzie 1227: 1224: 1221: 1218: 1215: 1212: 1208: 1205: 1202: 1199: 1196: 1193: 1190: 1187: 1184: 1183:Geoff Stedman 1181: 1178: 1175: 1172: 1169: 1166: 1163: 1160: 1157: 1154: 1151: 1148: 1145: 1142: 1139: 1136: 1135:Robin Carrell 1133: 1130: 1127: 1124: 1121: 1118: 1115: 1112: 1109: 1106: 1103: 1100: 1097: 1094: 1093:Leon Phillips 1091: 1088: 1085: 1082: 1079: 1076: 1073: 1070: 1067: 1064: 1061: 1058: 1055: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1043: 1040: 1037: 1034: 1031: 1028: 1025: 1022: 1019: 1016: 1015:Jack Holloway 1013: 1010: 1007: 1004: 1001: 998: 995: 992: 989: 986: 983: 980: 977: 974: 971: 968: 965: 962: 959: 956: 953: 950: 947: 944: 943:Lucy Cranwell 941: 938: 935: 932: 929: 926: 923: 920: 917: 914: 911: 908: 905: 902: 899: 896: 893: 890: 887: 884: 881: 878: 875: 872: 869: 866: 865:Harold Finlay 863: 860: 857: 854: 851: 848: 845: 842: 839: 836: 835:Walter Oliver 833: 830: 827: 824: 821: 818: 814: 811: 808: 805: 802: 799: 796: 795:John Holloway 793: 790: 787: 784: 781: 778: 775: 772: 771:Harry Skinner 769: 766: 765:Bernard Aston 763: 760: 759:Donald Petrie 757: 754: 753:George Hudson 751: 748: 745: 742: 739: 736: 733: 730: 727: 724: 721: 718: 715: 712: 709: 706: 703: 700: 697: 694: 691: 688: 685: 684: 681: 676: 668: 663: 661: 656: 654: 649: 648: 645: 638: 634: 630: 628: 625: 623: 621: 617: 615: 613: 609: 607: 605: 604: 599: 597: 595: 590: 588: 585: 583: 580: 579: 570: 566: 562: 561: 552: 551: 547: 544: 541: 538: 535: 532: 529: 526: 523: 522: 503: 502:teara.govt.nz 499: 492: 484: 480: 476: 472: 468: 462: 458: 451: 444: 438: 430: 428:9780143008422 424: 420: 413: 405: 404: 399: 398:"Elsdon Best" 392: 390: 388: 372: 368: 367: 362: 361:"Elsdon Best" 355: 353: 351: 349: 347: 345: 340: 333: 331: 327: 322: 320: 316: 311: 309: 305: 303: 298: 294: 293:Māori culture 290: 286: 282: 278: 270: 265: 256: 254: 250: 246: 245: 239: 237: 233: 229: 225: 215: 213: 209: 205: 201: 197: 191: 189: 185: 181: 177: 172: 170: 166: 162: 152: 150: 146: 142: 133: 130: 127: 123: 120: 116: 110: 107: 106: 104: 100: 96: 95:Madeline Best 93: 89: 86: 85:New Zealander 83: 79: 67: 63: 59:, New Zealand 58: 45: 41: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1253:Gaven Martin 1217:George Seber 1177:Dick Walcott 1165:Warren Roper 1159:Peter Wardle 1123:Rod Bieleski 1069:Robert Hayes 1009:Richard Dell 1003:Derek Lawden 931:Keith Bullen 901:Baden Powell 895:Henry Forder 813:John Marwick 698: 675:Hector Medal 620:Best of Tawa 619: 611: 606: 602: 593: 568: 558:Bibliography 548: 542: 536: 530: 524: 505:. Retrieved 501: 491: 456: 450: 437: 418: 412: 401: 374:. Retrieved 364: 323: 315:Hector Medal 312: 300: 296: 284: 280: 274: 252: 248: 242: 240: 221: 192: 173: 158: 145:ethnographer 140: 139: 118: 109:Hector Medal 70:(1931-09-09) 53:30 June 1856 18: 1370:1931 deaths 1365:1856 births 1313:Matt Visser 1259:Peter Steel 1211:Jeff Tallon 1171:Roger Green 1117:Ray Forster 1051:Ted Bollard 1033:Doug Coombs 985:Harry Bloom 871:Harry Allan 817:Noel Benson 735:Percy Smith 699:Elsdon Best 269:Percy Smith 259:Ethnologist 196:Percy Smith 169:Poverty Bay 155:Early years 141:Elsdon Best 129:ethnography 81:Nationality 25:Elsdon Best 1359:Categories 1337:Murray Cox 1331:Eric Le Ru 1271:Rod Downey 1235:Ian Witten 1021:Con Cambie 973:Barry Fell 955:Roger Duff 877:Bob Briggs 519:References 483:Q124738173 376:30 October 326:Wellington 165:Wellington 49:1856-06-30 1295:Ian Brown 1201:Ted Baker 1189:Bob Jolly 1147:Dan Walls 1141:Jim Ellis 1075:Jack Dodd 533:41 (1932) 475:33957253M 297:The Maori 228:Te Whaiti 161:Tawa Flat 91:Relatives 57:Tawa Flat 1111:Roy Kerr 1081:Cam Reid 622:new book 571:, Paris. 479:Wikidata 247:and the 200:language 188:Parihaka 180:Taranaki 97:(sister) 317:of the 212:Journal 204:culture 1345:(2023) 1339:(2022) 1333:(2021) 1327:(2020) 1321:(2019) 1315:(2018) 1309:(2017) 1303:(2016) 1297:(2015) 1291:(2014) 1285:(2013) 1279:(2012) 1273:(2011) 1267:(2010) 1261:(2009) 1255:(2008) 1249:(2007) 1243:(2006) 1237:(2005) 1231:(2003) 1225:(2001) 1219:(1999) 1213:(1998) 1203:(1997) 1197:(1996) 1191:(1995) 1185:(1994) 1179:(1993) 1173:(1992) 1167:(1991) 1161:(1990) 1155:(1989) 1149:(1988) 1143:(1987) 1137:(1986) 1131:(1985) 1125:(1984) 1119:(1983) 1113:(1982) 1107:(1981) 1101:(1980) 1095:(1979) 1089:(1978) 1083:(1977) 1077:(1976) 1071:(1975) 1065:(1974) 1059:(1973) 1053:(1972) 1047:(1971) 1041:(1970) 1035:(1969) 1029:(1968) 1023:(1967) 1017:(1966) 1011:(1965) 1005:(1964) 999:(1963) 993:(1962) 987:(1961) 981:(1960) 975:(1959) 969:(1958) 963:(1957) 957:(1956) 951:(1955) 945:(1954) 939:(1953) 933:(1952) 927:(1951) 921:(1950) 915:(1949) 909:(1948) 903:(1947) 897:(1946) 891:(1945) 885:(1944) 879:(1943) 873:(1942) 867:(1941) 861:(1940) 855:(1939) 849:(1938) 843:(1937) 837:(1936) 831:(1935) 825:(1934) 819:(1933) 809:(1932) 803:(1931) 797:(1930) 791:(1929) 785:(1928) 779:(1927) 773:(1926) 767:(1925) 761:(1924) 755:(1923) 749:(1922) 743:(1921) 737:(1920) 731:(1919) 725:(1918) 719:(1917) 713:(1916) 707:(1915) 701:(1914) 695:(1913) 689:(1912) 507:2 June 481:  473:  463:  425:  271:, 1908 125:Fields 102:Awards 567:, in 336:Notes 302:Tuhoe 232:Tūhoe 149:Māori 509:2021 461:ISBN 423:ISBN 378:2017 202:and 65:Died 43:Born 310:. 1361:: 1209:, 815:, 635:. 500:. 477:. 471:OL 469:. 386:^ 369:. 363:. 343:^ 295:, 238:. 666:e 659:t 652:v 511:. 485:. 431:. 406:. 380:. 51:) 47:(

Index


Tawa Flat
New Zealander
Madeline Best
Hector Medal
ethnography
ethnographer
Māori
Tawa Flat
Wellington
Poverty Bay
Armed Constabulary
Taranaki
Walter Gudgeon
Parihaka
Percy Smith
language
culture
Polynesian Society
Journal
Urewera district
Te Whaiti
Tūhoe
Jeffrey Paparoa Holman
Transactions of the New Zealand Institute

Percy Smith
Dominion Museum
Māori of Wellington Harbour
Māori culture

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