Otamakapua – Child Of The Cloud

Description ISBN: 9780473786229Title: Otamakapua – Child Of The CloudAuthor: WAUGH ANTHONY D The people, the land and the settlements of the Northern Manawatu. \”This book explores New Zealand’s past through that enduring truth, tracing how whenua – land – became the central point of connection, conflict, and transformation between Maori and European settlers. Set in the northern Manawatu-Rangitikei, the narrative is anchored in the little-known Otamakapua Block, a vast inland landscape once cloaked in forest and governed by Maori systems of mana whenua, before being absorbed into the settler economy. Through this place, the book examines the wider processes that shaped the nation: Maori concepts of collective authority and belonging; European ideas of land as property and commodity; the Treaty of Waitangi and its contested meanings; Crown purchasing, Native Land Court decisions, and the rapid conversion of tribal land into small farms and rural townships. Drawing on iwi traditions, government records, newspapers, and local history, the author weave’s national themes into a grounded local story. He also reflects on his own family’s journey – from nineteenth-century Scottish migrants seeking land and security, to the communities they helped build, and the costs borne by Maori through dispossession and marginalisation. Balanced, accessible, and deeply researched, this book offers readers a clearer understanding of how land shaped identities, livelihoods, and relationships – and why those histories still matter today. By asking who owned the land, why settlers came, and what followed, it examines the people and forces behind these changes, arguing that a clear understanding of our shared past is essential to shaping a more informed and meaningful future\”–Publisher information. Format: Trade PaperPublication date: 26/05/2026Pages: 311Available stock: 29