Early printed scriptures in Māori
Church Missionary Society printer William Colenso (1811-1899) arrived in the Bay of Islands in 1834 with New Zealand’s second printing press. The first, acquired by the Reverend William Yate in 1830, had not been a success.
The first portions of the Old Testament printed in Māori were the Psalms, Daniel I-VII and Jonah. The first issues of these portions were printed by Colenso at Paihia in 1840.
The displayed booklet contains the first seven chapters of Daniel, and the complete text of Jonah. It is the second issue of William G. Puckey’s translation of the books of Daniel and Jonah as revised by Colenso, with Colenso’s translation of the seventh chapter of Daniel added.