Maurice Sorrenson was born at Upper Papamoa and was educated at Kaiate Falls Primary School and Tauranga District High School/Tauranga College from From 1950-55, he attended the University of Auckland, graduating with a B.A. in History in 1953 and an M.A. (1st class hons) in 1956. He studied at Oxford University from 1959-62 and graduated with D.Phil. From 1956-59, Sorrenson was a research assistant and then Junior Lecturer in Auckland University’s History Department. From 1963-64, he was research fellow at the East African Institute of Social Research at Makerere University, in Kampala, Uganda. In 1964 he returned to New Zealand and was appointed Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor in the History Department at the University of Auckland. From 1974-76, 1979-81, and 1985-7 Sorrenson was head of the History Department. In 1996 he resigned as Professor of History and was made an Emeritus Professor. From 1971-73 he was President of CARE (Citizens Association for Racial Equality) and from 1973-84 was a member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Council. Since 1986 he has been a member of the Waitangi Tribunal and from 1986-93 was a member of the New Zealand Geographic Board. Sorrenson is an historian who specialises in British Imperial and Commonwealth History, Africa History and New Zealand history with special reference to Māori-Pakeha relations. He writes non-fiction publications and papers, book reviews, encyclopaedia entries, newspaper articles, radio scripts and TV commentaries. He has contributed to thirteen Waitangi Tribunal Reports, was associate editor of the New Zealand Journal of History from 1967-87, and was co-editor from He was the subject of a festchrift in Koha: Essays in Honour of M.P.K Sorrenson. New Zealand Journal of History (April 1997) which concludes with a bibliography of his writing. Descriptive annotations for this entry are largely provided by Sorrenson in quotation.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence and phone conversation with Sorrenson, 29 May 1993, 13 Aug. 1998 and 31 Aug. 2004.
Non-fiction
- "Land Purchase Methods and their Effect on Māori Population, 1865-1901." Journal of the Polynesian Society (Sept. 1956): 183-199. Rpt. as "Land Purchase Methods, Effect on Māori Population 1865-1901." Te Māori: The Official Journal of the New Zealand Māori Council 2.2 (Feb./Mar. 1971): 25-33.
- In this comprehensive study examining the effect of land purchase on the Māori population, Sorrenson challenges some of the existing theories explaining the decline of the Māori population and propounds his own theory of the relationship between the selling of tribal land and the subsequent decline in the Māori population.
- "The Racial Conflict Over Land." Journal of the Polynesian Society (Sept. 1959): 211-214. No further details.
- A review essay discussing Keith Sinclair’s Pelican History of New Zealand, John Miller’s Early Victorian New Zealand, and J. B. Condliffe’s New Zealand in the Making [2nd ed.].
- "The Māori People and the City of Auckland: An Historical Survey." Te Ao Hou 27 (1959): 8-13.
- A history of the Māori people in Auckland from 1840 to the post-Second World War years.
- "The Māori King Movement, 1858-1885." Studies of a Small Democracy. Ed. R. M. Chapman and K. Sinclair. Hamilton, N.Z.: Paul’s Book Arcade for the U of Auckland, N.Z., 1963. 33-54.
- ‘An early attempt to develop the Māori side of the King movement as Māori themselves saw it.’
- "The Politics of Land." Ed. J. G. A. Pocock. Auckland, N.Z.: Blackwood & Janet Paul, 1965. 21-45.
- ‘On the relationship between Māori politics and the loss of land.’
- Māori And European Since 1870: A Study In Adaptation And Adjustment. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1967.
- ‘A school certificate text book with an emphasis on Māori-European relations since 1870 which was published as part of Heinemann’s New Zealand History Topic Books and edited by R. C. J. Stone.’
- Land Reform in the Kikuyu Country. Nairobi, Kenya: Oxford UP, 1967.
- Sorrenson, as part of a research project on land reform in Kenya, wrote this ‘historical survey of the land reform carried out during the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya in the 1960s.’
- Origins of European Settlement in Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Oxford UP, 1968.
- ‘A revised version of Sorrenson’s D.Phil thesis.’
- "Reflections On An African Journey." Te Māori: The Official Journal of the New Zealand Māori Council 1.3 (Summer Issue [1969/70?]): 27+.
- Sorrenson writes an essay on Africa at a time when the focus of many New Zealanders was on the upcoming 1970 All Black Tour of South Africa, based on his experiences living in East Africa in 1961 and 1963-64. He looks at the background leading up to the independence of East African countries and examines in greater depth issues of economy, education and national politics in Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.
- "New Zealand: An Historical Outline." Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific: A Handbook. Ed. Charles Osborne. London, UK: Anthony Blond, 1970. 339-348.
- ‘A brief historical outline of New Zealand history.’
- "Apirana Ngata: Apostle of Māoritanga." New Zealand’s Heritage. Ed. Ray Knox. Auckland, N.Z.: A Paul Hamlyn, 1971. 2304-2308.
- Sorrenson presents a detailed biographical account of Ngata’s multifarious achievements and contributions in the political arena, land reform, Māori arts and literature.
- "Māori Land Development." New Zealand’s Heritage. Ed. Ray Knox. Auckland, N.Z.: A Paul Hamlyn, 1971. No further details.
- "How to Civilize Savages: Some "Answers" From Nineteenth Century New Zealand." New Zealand Journal of History (Oct. 1975): 97-110. No further details.
- ‘A discussion on racial ideas of the 19th century - how Māori were classified.’
- "Uneasy Bedfellows: A Survey Of New Zealand’s Relations With South Africa." New Zealand, South Africa and Sport. Ed. J. L. Kember. Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, 1976. 28-64.
- The text of Sorrenson’s paper at the 11th Foreign Policy School of the Department of University of Extension, University of Otago in 1975. Sorrenson states that it ‘provided a historical context of New Zealand’s sporting contacts with South Africa.’
- "Colonial Rule and Local Response: Māori Responses to European Domination in New Zealand Since 1860." Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History (Jan. 1976): 127-137. No further details.
- ‘A paper on the Māori response to European rule in New Zealand.’
- Integration or Identity? Cultural Interaction in South Africa, 1918-1961. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1977.
- ‘This text is part of the School Certificate syllabus for History focusing on Cultural Interaction which involved comparing and contrasting two separate societies under this theme. This was a replacement of the earlier series of 1977.’
- Separate and Unequal: Cultural Interaction in South Africa, 1918-1961. [Auckland, N.Z.?]: Heinemann, 1977.
- ‘Part of the School Certificate syllabus for History focusing on Cultural Interaction which involved comparing and contrasting two separate societies under this theme. A replacement of the earlier series of 1977.’
- "The Whence of the Māori: Some Nineteenth Century Exercises In Scientific Method." Journal of the Polynesian Society (Dec. 1977): 449-478. No further details.
- ‘A pre-run of Sorrenson’s MacMillan Brown Lecture series.’
- Europe and Southern Africa. Auckand, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1972. New ed. 1978.
- ‘A history monograph edited by R. C. J. Stone for University Entrance History students - about Europe and the partition of Southern Africa in the late 19th century to 1919.’
- Māori Origins And Migrations: The Genesis Of Some Pakeha Myths And Legends. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland UP/ Oxford UP, 1979. Rpt. 1983, 1990, 1993.
- ‘The text of three MacMillan Brown Lectures given by Sorrenson in June 1978 concerning Pakeha myths of Māori origins and migrations.’
- "New Zealand: Māori and Pakeha." Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands since the First World War. William S. Livingston and W. R. Louis. Austin, USA: Texas UP, 1979. 168-185.
- ‘An essay on 20th century Māori-Pakeha relations in New Zealand.’
- "Polynesian Corpuscles and Pacific Anthropology: The Home-Made Anthropology Of Sir Apirana Ngata And Sir Peter Buck." Journal of the Polynesian Society (Mar. 1982): 7-27. No further details.
- This was Sorrenson’s J. C. Beaglehole Lecture at the NZ Historical Association Conference in 1981 ‘based on the letters of Ngata and Buck and their views of Pakeha athropologists.’
- Na To Hoa Aroha: From Your Dear Friend: The Correspondence Between Sir Apirana Ngata And Sir Peter Buck, 1920-50. Introd. and notes by M. P. K. Sorrenson. Vol. 1. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Auckland UP in association with the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust and the Māori Purposes Fund Board, 1986.
- ‘A collection of letters between Sir Apirana Ngata and Sir Peter Buck - covering the period of Buck’s period of expatriation and Ngata writing from New Zealand as Minister. Buck is an external commentator of what Ngata is doing in New Zealand.’ This collection includes an introduction by Sorrenson and letters between Ngata and Buck dated 20 October 1925 to 9 November 1929. Sorrenson notes that from 1925-1950 Ngata and Buck wrote almost 200 letters to each other, and in these three volumes Sorrenson has reproduced 174 of these letters.
- Na To Hoa Aroha: From Your Dear Friend: The Correspondence Between Sir Apirana Ngata And Sir Peter Buck, 1920-50. Notes by M. P. K. Sorrenson. Vol. 2. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Auckland UP in association with the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust and the Māori Purposes Fund Board, 1986.
- Contains letters from 4 May 1930 to 12 August 1932.
- Na To Hoa Aroha: From Your Dear Friend: The Correspondence Between Sir Apirana Ngata And Sir Peter Buck, 1920-50. Introd. and notes by M. P. K. Sorrenson. Vol. 3. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Auckland UP in association with the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust and the Māori Purposes Fund Board, 1986.
- Letters dated from 15 August 1932 to 5 March 1950. Includes epilogue and an index of the three volumes.
- "A History of Māori Representation in Parliament." Towards a Better Democracy. Report of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System. J. H. Wallace et al. Wellington, N.Z., 1986. B-3. 1-82. No further details.
- ‘A comprehensive history of Māori representation in Parliament from 1867-1986.’
- "Towards A Radical Interpretation Of New Zealand History: The Role Of The Waitangi Tribunal." New Zealand Journal of History (Apr. 1987): 173-186. No further details.
- ‘About the early Tribunal Reports and how the Tribunal interpreted history.’
- "Towards a Radical Interpretation of New Zealand History: The Role Of The Waitangi Tribunal." Waitangi: Māori & Pakeha Perspectives of the Treaty of Waitangi. Ed. I. H. Kawharu. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford UP, 1989. 158-179.
- ‘About the early Tribunal Reports and how the Tribunal interpreted history. This is an updated version of a paper first published the New Zealand Journal of History.’
- "Modern Māori: the Young Māori Party to Mana Motuhake." The Oxford Illustrated History of New Zealand. Ed. K. Sinclair. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford UP, 1990. 323-252.
- ‘Māori history in the 20th Century.’
- "Giving Better Effect to the Treaty: Some Thoughts For 1990." New Zealand Journal of History (Oct. 1990): 135-149. No further details.
- ‘Text of a lecture at the Auckland Museum Winter Lecture series and inspired by Sorrenson’s work on the Waitangi Tribunal and discussions of the two texts of the Treaty - Māori and English.’
- "Gorst, John Eldon 1835-1916." The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ed. W. H. Oliver. Vol. 1. 1769-1869. Wellington, N.Z.: Allen & Unwin/Dept. of Internal Affairs, 1990. 154-155.
- A detailed biography of John Gorst.
- "Mantell, Walter Baldock Durrant 1820-1895." The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ed. W. H. Oliver. Vol. 1. 1769-1869. Wellington, N.Z.: Allen & Unwin/Dept. of Internal Affairs, 1990. 267-268.
- A biography of Walter Mantell.
- "Treaties in British Colonial Policy: Precedents For Waitangi." Sovereignty & Indigenous Rights: the Treaty of Waitangi in International Contexts. Ed William Renwick. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria UP, 1991. 15-29.
- ‘A keynote paper at the 1990 Stout Centre Conference at Victoria University on Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights, which placed the Treaty of Waitangi within a broader colonial context.’
- Manifest Duty: The Polynesian Society Over A Hundred Years. Auckland, N.Z.: Polynesian Soc., 1992.
- A centennial history of the Polynesian Society which Sorrenson describes as ‘an affectionate study of the Society’.
- "Māori and Pakeha." The Oxford History of New Zealand. Ed. W. H. Oliver. Oxford: Clarendon, 1981. 168-191. 2nd ed. 1992.
- ‘An essay on the Māori-pakeha relations from 1840-1900.’
- "[The Treaty of Waitangi and the New Zealand Constitution.]" Position of Indigenous People in National Constitutions, Canberra, 1993. [Canberra], Austral.: Australian Govt. Publishing Service. 28-37.
- ‘An attempt to discuss the way the Treaty has been incorporated into the New Zealand constitution and law.’
- "The Making Of Letters And Art In New Zealand." Writing a New Country: Essays for Eric McCormack. Ed. J. Ross, L. Gill and S. McRae. Auckland, N.Z.: [J.Ross, L. Gill and S. McRae], 1993. 58-81.
- A paper on ‘McCormack’s earlier theses on New Zealand literature and his centennial survey Letters and Art.’
- "The Waitangi Tribunal And The Resolution Of Māori Grievances." The British Review of New Zealand Studies (1995): 21-36. No further details.
- ‘Based on a paper Sorrenson gave at a conference at the New Zealand Studies Centre at Edinburgh University in 1994. It is a summing up of the attempt of the Waitangi Tribunal to solve Māori grievances up till 1994.’
- Waitangi: New Zealand’s Enduring Struggle. Pennsylvania, USA: Australia New Zealand Studies Center, Pennsylvania State U, 1998.
- ‘A published lecture which was presented at Pennsylvania State University in April 1998. It involves Sorrenson’s summing up of the state of Waitangi Tribunal activities and settlement of grievances.
- "The Settlement Of New Zealand From 1835." New Frontiers? First Nations’ Rights In The Settler Dominions: Australia, Canada and New Zealand/Aotearoa. Ed. P. Havemann. Auckland, N.Z.: OUP, 1999. 162-179.
Theses
- "The Purchase of Māori Lands, 1865-1892." M.A. diss. U of Auckland, 1955.
- "Land Policy, Legislation and Settlement in the East Africa Protectorate, 1895-1915." Diss. Oxon, UK. 1962.
- Later published as Origins of European Settlement.
Waitangi Tribunal
- Orakei Report 1987. Wai-9. 1987.
- Muriwhenua Fishing 1988. Wai-22. 1988.
- Mangonui Sewage 1988. Wai-17. 1988.
- Ngāti Rangiteaorere 1990. Wai-32. 1990.
- Māori Electoral Option 1994. Wai-413. 1994.
- Taranaki Report: Kaupapa Tuatahi. 1996. Wai-143. 1996.
- Radio Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Development Interim Report. Wai – 776. 1999.
- Radio Spectrum Management and Development Final Report. Wai – 776. 1999.
- Ngāti Awa Raupatu Report. Wai – 46. 1999.
- Napier Hospital and Health Services Report. Wai – 692. 2001.
- Te Whanganui A Tara Me Ona Takiwa Report. Wai – 145. 2003.
- Mohaka ki Ahuriri Report. Wai – 201. 2004.
- Tauranga Raupatu Report. Wai – 215. 2004.