Richard Shaw's 2021 memoir The Forgotten Coast uncovered the story of his Irish great grandfather, Andrew Gilhooly, who arrived in Aotearoa in 1875. In 1881, Gilhooly, a member of the Armed Constabulary, was among the troops at the invasion of Parihaka, the Māori village in south Taranaki.
Later, Andrew and his wife Kate bought three farms on land confiscated from Māori. As Shaw writes, "What was a beginning for them was an ending for others."
Following the publication of The Forgotten Coast and an essay on the Conversation website, Shaw, a politics professor at Massey, received sustained feedback - from detractors, but also many people who had been similarly disturbed by aspects of their families' histories in Aotearoa. These "small stories of colonisation" from across the country make up The Unsettled.
This story is from the March 30 - April 5, 2024 edition of New Zealand Listener.
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This story is from the March 30 - April 5, 2024 edition of New Zealand Listener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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