Translated and edited by Peter Tremewan and Giselle Larcombe. Published by Canterbury University Press, 2019. Reviewed by Peter Maguire

Young, French, Marist priest Antoine Garin kept a detailed diary of his encounters with Māori during his four-year stay in the Mangakahia River, upper Kaipara. Garin regularly made epic journeys across Northland. He debated theology in te reo publically with Wesleyan missionary James Buller. He mediated disputes between diverse groups and was a zealous baptiser. His choice to live with local hapū in their kainga earned him the respect of Māori.

There are many political, intercultural and theological themes a reader can follow in his entries — my personal favourite: handshakes and their qualities!

As a missionary Garin encountered pushback from Māori when he rejected practices such as tapu and new facial moko for his converts and when he tried to introduce abstaining from work on Sundays and the practice of baptism — Māori saw heaven and hell as unattractive alternatives to being with their tūpuna. Garin's writing brings many Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua characters and European settlers to life. It is fascinating to read how his respect for Māori customs, beliefs and practices increased as he engaged more deeply with them.

Living Among the Northland Māori is an intimate and readable account but it is not short. It has 600 beautifully-produced pages, including a lengthy introduction, photos and reproductions, and appendices.

I would have found a map of the area helpful as place names have changed from Garin's time. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a different perspective from the Church Missionary Society and more familiar British settler narratives of this period. 

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 259 May 2021: 31