Author defends book on Maori cannibalism

The author of a book on cannibalism in Maori history has been accused of racism in a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

Historian Paul Moon is defending his book This Horrid Practice and stands by his research.

“I spent several years researching this book, using an enormous body of documentation, and I’m not about to denounce it just because it upsets a few people,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

An anonymous complaint said the book “describes the whole of Maori society as violent and dangerous. This is a clearly racist view claiming a whole ethnic group has these traits”.

The commission has so far taken no action on the complaint.

The book suggests that consuming vanquished enemies’ mana had little to do with the underlying reason for Maori cannibalism. Instead, cannibalism, in pre-colonial times was simply about “rage and humiliation”.

Dr Moon said he approached the topic “honestly” and applied standard methods of research to it.

“I think it’s just very sad that it’s come to this stage that when you write about certain topics in New Zealand history you get complaints and accusations of racism levelled at you.”

Source:
Author defends book on Maori cannibalism
thedaily.com.au