A korao no New Zealand; or, the New Zealander's first book was written by Anglican missionary Thomas Kendall in 1815, and is the first book written in the Māori language.[1] The full title is A korao no New Zealand, or, The New Zealander's first book : being an attempt to compose some lessons for the instruction of the natives. The word korao would today be written kōrero.[1]
 | |
| Author | Thomas Kendall |
|---|---|
| Language |
|
| Subject | Māori language |
| Published | 1815 |
| Publisher | George Howe |
| Publication place | Colony of New South Wales |
A Korao was written as an aid to educate Māori children and convert them to Christianity. It features phrases, word lists and religious instruction. The children would recite the alphabet and syllables, in hopes of learning reading and writing.[2] Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand describes the book as "very basic and full of errors".[1]
200 copies were printed in Sydney by missionary Samuel Marsden in 1815. The only known extant copy is held by Auckland War Memorial Museum.[2] In 2014, the book was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c "A korao no New Zealand, 1815". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b "A korao no New Zealand". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "A korao no New Zealand". UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
External links
edit- Digital copy of the volume held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
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