Judith Binney
Encyclopedia
Dame Judith Binney, DNZM
, FRSNZ
(1 July 1940 – 15 February 2011) was a New Zealand
historian, writer and Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Auckland
. Her work focussed primarily on religion in New Zealand, especially the Māori Ringatū
religion founded by Te Kooti
Arikirangi Te Turuki and continued by Rua Kenana
. She also wrote extensively on the history of Ngāi Tūhoe.
in 1940. She graduated with a first-class honours degree in history from the University of Auckland
in 1965, and started work at the university as a lecturer in the History Department the next year. She retired as Professor of History in 2004. She wrote biographies of both Te Kooti and Kenana, as well as a book on Kenana's followers, and another on Pākehā
missionary Thomas Kendall
. With Judith Bassett and Erik Olssen she wrote People and the Land, a history of New Zealand aimed at high school–level readers.
In 1997, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
, and in 2006 a Distinguished Companion (equivalent to a dame
hood). In 1998 she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
. She was awarded $60,000 at the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement in 2006. Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark
stated: "Judith Binney’s work plays a vital role in recording our history, with a focus on Maori communities. Her writing draws on oral histories and communal memories, and uses photographic sources as an integral part of the written historical discourse."
In 2007, Binney was named an inaugural fellow of the New Zealand Academy of Humanities, and she was a historical consultant for Vincent Ward
's film, Rain of Children (2008).
In 2010, she won the New Zealand Post Book of the Year and General Non-fiction Award for Encircled Lands: Te Urewera, 1820-1921 (Bridget Williams Books). The book documents Tūhoe's quest for self-government of their lands, granted to them in law more than a century ago.
On 15 February 2011, she died in her Auckland home, aged 70, of an illness unrelated to the accident. She was survived by her husband, Sebastian Black.
Editor
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, FRSNZ
Royal Society of New Zealand
The Royal Society of New Zealand , known as the New Zealand Institute before 1933, was established in 1867 to co-ordinate and assist the activities of a number of regional research societies including the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of...
(1 July 1940 – 15 February 2011) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
historian, writer and Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
. Her work focussed primarily on religion in New Zealand, especially the Māori Ringatū
Ringatu
The Ringatū church was founded in 1868 by Te Kooti Rikirangi. The symbol for the movement is an upraised hand, or "Ringa Tū" in Māori.Te Kooti was one of a number of Māori detained at the Chatham Islands without trial in relation to the East Coast disturbances of the 1860s...
religion founded by Te Kooti
Te Kooti
Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki was a Māori leader, the founder of the Ringatu religion and guerrilla.While fighting alongside government forces against the Hauhau in 1865, he was accused of spying. Exiled to the Chatham Islands without trial along with captured Hauhau, he experienced visions and...
Arikirangi Te Turuki and continued by Rua Kenana
Rua Kenana Hepetipa
Rua Tapunui Kenana was a Māori prophet, faith healer and land rights activist.-Background:Rua Tapunui Kenana Māori prophet, faith healer and land rights activist....
. She also wrote extensively on the history of Ngāi Tūhoe.
Biography
Judith Mary Caroline Binney was born in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1940. She graduated with a first-class honours degree in history from the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
in 1965, and started work at the university as a lecturer in the History Department the next year. She retired as Professor of History in 2004. She wrote biographies of both Te Kooti and Kenana, as well as a book on Kenana's followers, and another on Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
missionary Thomas Kendall
Thomas Kendall
Thomas Kendall was a New Zealand lapsed missionary, recorder of the Māori language, schoolmaster, arms dealer, and Pākehā Māori.-Early life: Lincolnshire and London, 1778-1813:...
. With Judith Bassett and Erik Olssen she wrote People and the Land, a history of New Zealand aimed at high school–level readers.
In 1997, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, and in 2006 a Distinguished Companion (equivalent to a dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
hood). In 1998 she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal Society of New Zealand
The Royal Society of New Zealand , known as the New Zealand Institute before 1933, was established in 1867 to co-ordinate and assist the activities of a number of regional research societies including the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of...
. She was awarded $60,000 at the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement in 2006. Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
stated: "Judith Binney’s work plays a vital role in recording our history, with a focus on Maori communities. Her writing draws on oral histories and communal memories, and uses photographic sources as an integral part of the written historical discourse."
In 2007, Binney was named an inaugural fellow of the New Zealand Academy of Humanities, and she was a historical consultant for Vincent Ward
Vincent Ward
Vincent Ward, ONZM is a film director and screenwriter.-Biography:Vincent Ward was awarded an Order of New Zealand Merit in 2007 for his contribution to film making. He was born in Greytown, New Zealand. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream and trained as an artist at the...
's film, Rain of Children (2008).
In 2010, she won the New Zealand Post Book of the Year and General Non-fiction Award for Encircled Lands: Te Urewera, 1820-1921 (Bridget Williams Books). The book documents Tūhoe's quest for self-government of their lands, granted to them in law more than a century ago.
Death
On 4 December 2009, Binney received serious head injuries after being struck by a truck while crossing Princes St in Auckland City.On 15 February 2011, she died in her Auckland home, aged 70, of an illness unrelated to the accident. She was survived by her husband, Sebastian Black.
Books
Author- The legacy of guilt: a life of Thomas Kendall (Oxford University Press, 1968).
- Mihaia : the prophet Rua Kenana and his community at Maungapohatu (with Gillian Chaplin and Craig Wallace. Oxford University Press, 1979).
- Ngā Mōrehu: The survivors (with Gillian Chaplin. Oxford University Press, 1986).
- The people and the land: Te tangata me te whenua: an illustrated history of New Zealand, 1820-1920 (with Judith Bassett and Erik Olssen. Allen & Unwin, 1990).
- Redemption songs: a life of Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki (Bridget Williams Books, 1995).
- Encircled lands: Te Urewera, 1820-1921 (Bridget Williams Books, 2009).
Editor
- The shaping of history: essays from the New Zealand Journal of History, 1967-1999 (Bridget Williams Books, 2001).
External Links
- Biography from the Waitangi TribunalWaitangi TribunalThe Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975...
- Biography from the National Library of New ZealandNational Library of New ZealandThe National Library of New Zealand is New Zealand's legal deposit library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations"...
- Book review of 'Stories Without End: Essays 1975–2010' Binney's posthumous autobiography by Jeffrey Paparoa Holman in LandfallLandfall (journal)Landfall is New Zealand's oldest extant literary journal. First published in 1947 by Caxton Press, under the editorship of Charles Brasch, it features new fiction and poetry, biographical and critical essays, cultural commentary, and reviews of books, art, film, drama and dance.Additionally, the...
.