E Kore a Muri e Hokia - The route left behind cannot be retraced

<p>Within the settler colonial archives there is a paucity of information on wāhine Māori however, newspapers and settler colonial cultural institutions provide evidence of wāhine Māori travelling to, working and living on this continent colonially referred to Australia since before 1810. Colonial archives record tāne Māori on this continent from 1793 in abundance – as traders, diplomats, royalty and visitors. Archives are a form of collective community memory that store a range of information and artefacts that are considered keep worthy by society. My research is interested in wāhine Māori who visited or migrated to this continent during the period between 1790s and 1970s. This thesis is also concerned with Māori relationality and in particular this thesis explores whether this was extended to Aboriginal peoples or established only with colonisers. Using the concepts of mātauranga Māori and mana wāhine Māori, I interrogate the colonial archives to ascertain if wāhine Māori travelled to the colony and in what capacity they travelled. I ask no heā koe? Who are you? and kei hea koe? Where are you?</p>