Barry Brailsford MBE

The Power of Place

Barry Brailsford says his love of the land and the mystery of the past is his birthright. Born in Cobden, Te Ake Ake o Poutini, the ancient anchorage of the great navigator Poutini, and nurtured by the wild coastlines and forested mountains of New Zealand, he knew a childhood where his spirit was free to soar.

He graduated MA (Hons) in History at Canterbury University, was a member of the NZ Archaeology Association Council and a Principal Lecturer at the Christchurch College of Education. In 1990 he was awarded an MBE for his contribution to education and Maori scholarship.

Histories of a Nation

In 1989, Te Pani Manawatu, of the Rangitane tribe, a surviving remnant of the Waitaha Nation, asked Barry to bring their ancient lore to the world. Te Pani, was the Ariki [Chief] of the Tuahuriri Runanga [Council] of Ngai Tahu, a major South Island tribe.

To this day some Maori wonder why the elders stepped beyond their own to find the voice to carry their message to the world. When setting the task, Te Pani Manawatu said…

‘You have been chosen to write the record of our ancestors and tell the story of Waitaha because of your skill and the awhi [support] you gave the people of Ngai Tahu during the Waitangi Tribunal hearings. This is not the easiest of tasks because of the things that have been hidden away from the majority of the people.

A unique alignment of the stars, foretold centuries before, opened the way for the Waitaha wisdom keepers to share their sacred lore. It was time for the people of peace to stand tall once more.