title: Insanity and ethnicity in New Zealand: Māori encounters with the Auckland Mental Hospital, 1860—1900

authors: Barry, Lorelle

subjects: cultural alienation

abstract: This article examines Māori patients at the Auckland Mental Hospital between 1860 and 1900. We argue that the patient case notes reveal ‘European’ categories in which Māori were situated, and demonstrate the extent to which the authorities at the hospital grappled with their appearance, their language and their culture, all of which were elements of their ethnicity. We argue that the use of institutional case records is highly suggestive of some of the historical meanings of insanity for Māori, including the lack of detailed or sustained collection of information about patients’ tribal affiliations, the interest shown in their rights to land in maintenance payment inquiries, the experiences of cultural alienation or mate Māori, and the sad outcomes for Māori.

text: Insanity and ethnicity in New Zealand: Māori encounters with the Auckland Mental Hospital, 1860—1900 This article examines Māori patients at the Auckland Mental Hospital between 1860 and 1900. We argue that the patient case notes reveal ‘European’ categories in which Māori were situated, and demonstrate the extent to which the authorities at the hospital grappled with their appearance, their language and their culture, all of which were elements of their ethnicity. We argue that the use of institutional case records is highly suggestive of some of the historical meanings of insanity for Māori, including the lack of detailed or sustained collection of information about patients’ tribal affiliations, the interest shown in their rights to land in maintenance payment inquiries, the experiences of cultural alienation or mate Māori, and the sad outcomes for Māori.

year: 2011

title: The influence of harvest frequency and regime on the performance of  Filamentous Algae Nutrient Scrubbers treating agricultural drainage

authors: Waaka, Okeroa

subjects: Filamentous algae nutrient scrubbers

abstract: Filamentous algae nutrient scrubbers (FANS) are ecologically engineered flow-ways that have recently been proposed as a potential on-farm method to treat agricultural drainage in New Zealand. The effectiveness of FANS systems to remove nutrients from polluted waters and to produce algal biomass as a harvestable by-product is heavily influenced by operational parameters. As filamentous algae grow on a flow-way, the thickness of the algal biomass increases and begins to reduce light penetration and nutrient assimilation. Therefore, periodic harvesting of the accumulated algal biomass plays a key role in determining the biomass production and nutrient removal performance of FANS systems. 

The overall aim of this study was to investigate the influence of harvest frequency and harvest regime on biomass productivity and nutrient removal of an outdoor FANS system. The FANS system used in this study consisted of six flow-ways that were split into two sets of triplicate flow-ways named “FULL” and “PARTIAL”. Harvesting of the FULL replicate flow-ways occurred once a week, where algal biomass accumulated along the entirety of the flow-way was collected. Harvesting of the PARTIAL replicate flow-ways occurred twice a week, where the algal biomass was collected in alternate meter sections (a total of 3-metre harvest length every 3 – 3.5 days). 

The increased harvest frequency (3 – 3.5 days) and sectioned harvest regime implemented in the PARTIAL replicate flow-ways significantly improved biomass productivity (3.2 g DW m-2. d) in comparison to the less frequent (7 – 7.5 days) and total harvest regime implemented in the FULL replicate flow-ways (0.9 g DW m-2. d). However, there was no significant difference in nutrient removal rates between the PARTIAL and FULL replicate flow-ways. There is still limited understanding of how operational parameters can be optimized to maximise biomass productivity and nutrient removal in FANS systems on a year-round basis. However, the findings of this study demonstrate that an increased harvest frequency and sectioned harvest regime can improve the biomass yield of filamentous algae grown on an outdoor FANS system during spring to summer months. 

Furthermore, this study has suggested the potential for Māori acceptance of FANS technology and algal biomass use. In person interviews with whanau and iwi members recalled use of algal biomass harvested from rivers and streams as fertilizer for vegetable gardens or bait for eel trapping. Moreover, the literature review and in person interviews highlighted the importance of identifying and using ngā kupu (words and terms) used by Māori to describe freshwater algae. The intergenerational observation and utilization of algae as a resource by Māori may reveal an awareness of biological processes that either differs or compliments a Western Science point of view. Incorporating this knowledge into current water and environmental management practices could be extremely beneficial for improving water quality of streams in Aotearoa New Zealand.

text: The influence of harvest frequency and regime on the performance of  Filamentous Algae Nutrient Scrubbers treating agricultural drainage Filamentous algae nutrient scrubbers (FANS) are ecologically engineered flow-ways that have recently been proposed as a potential on-farm method to treat agricultural drainage in New Zealand. The effectiveness of FANS systems to remove nutrients from polluted waters and to produce algal biomass as a harvestable by-product is heavily influenced by operational parameters. As filamentous algae grow on a flow-way, the thickness of the algal biomass increases and begins to reduce light penetration and nutrient assimilation. Therefore, periodic harvesting of the accumulated algal biomass plays a key role in determining the biomass production and nutrient removal performance of FANS systems. 

The overall aim of this study was to investigate the influence of harvest frequency and harvest regime on biomass productivity and nutrient removal of an outdoor FANS system. The FANS system used in this study consisted of six flow-ways that were split into two sets of triplicate flow-ways named “FULL” and “PARTIAL”. Harvesting of the FULL replicate flow-ways occurred once a week, where algal biomass accumulated along the entirety of the flow-way was collected. Harvesting of the PARTIAL replicate flow-ways occurred twice a week, where the algal biomass was collected in alternate meter sections (a total of 3-metre harvest length every 3 – 3.5 days). 

The increased harvest frequency (3 – 3.5 days) and sectioned harvest regime implemented in the PARTIAL replicate flow-ways significantly improved biomass productivity (3.2 g DW m-2. d) in comparison to the less frequent (7 – 7.5 days) and total harvest regime implemented in the FULL replicate flow-ways (0.9 g DW m-2. d). However, there was no significant difference in nutrient removal rates between the PARTIAL and FULL replicate flow-ways. There is still limited understanding of how operational parameters can be optimized to maximise biomass productivity and nutrient removal in FANS systems on a year-round basis. However, the findings of this study demonstrate that an increased harvest frequency and sectioned harvest regime can improve the biomass yield of filamentous algae grown on an outdoor FANS system during spring to summer months. 

Furthermore, this study has suggested the potential for Māori acceptance of FANS technology and algal biomass use. In person interviews with whanau and iwi members recalled use of algal biomass harvested from rivers and streams as fertilizer for vegetable gardens or bait for eel trapping. Moreover, the literature review and in person interviews highlighted the importance of identifying and using ngā kupu (words and terms) used by Māori to describe freshwater algae. The intergenerational observation and utilization of algae as a resource by Māori may reveal an awareness of biological processes that either differs or compliments a Western Science point of view. Incorporating this knowledge into current water and environmental management practices could be extremely beneficial for improving water quality of streams in Aotearoa New Zealand.

year: 2023

title: Utopic representations of empire: Examples of Seventeenth-Century colonial images

authors: Jennings, William

abstract: Early French colonies used enslavement to provide most of their labor, but they also needed to recruit landowners and artisans to build a settler society. This paper investigates how two colonial companies used maps and illustrations to represent new colonies as safe and prosperous sites that would appeal to potential recruits. The companies produced books and pamphlets promoting their colonies, but it was often possible to read between the lines and conclude that the colony was not as utopic as the company claimed. The images they produced, however, were utopic and had the advantage of allowing the viewer the freedom to interpret them regardless of literacy skills. The American Mainland Company, which in 1652 sent France’s biggest colonial expedition to date, showed it understood the importance of imagery when the following year it commissioned an illustration from France’s most prominent engraver, Israël Silvestre. A decade later, the French West India Company adapted a hydrographic map to present a more favorable view of a colony. This paper shows how the companies’ images deceived the viewer and created false impressions of easy life in the tropics.

text: Utopic representations of empire: Examples of Seventeenth-Century colonial images Early French colonies used enslavement to provide most of their labor, but they also needed to recruit landowners and artisans to build a settler society. This paper investigates how two colonial companies used maps and illustrations to represent new colonies as safe and prosperous sites that would appeal to potential recruits. The companies produced books and pamphlets promoting their colonies, but it was often possible to read between the lines and conclude that the colony was not as utopic as the company claimed. The images they produced, however, were utopic and had the advantage of allowing the viewer the freedom to interpret them regardless of literacy skills. The American Mainland Company, which in 1652 sent France’s biggest colonial expedition to date, showed it understood the importance of imagery when the following year it commissioned an illustration from France’s most prominent engraver, Israël Silvestre. A decade later, the French West India Company adapted a hydrographic map to present a more favorable view of a colony. This paper shows how the companies’ images deceived the viewer and created false impressions of easy life in the tropics.

year: 2025