Paul Moon
Evan Paul Moon (born 18 October 1968) is a New Zealand historian and a professor at the Auckland University of Technology. He is a writer of New Zealand history and biography, specialising in Māori history, the Treaty of Waitangi and the early period of Crown rule. Education. Paul Moon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Studies, a Master of Philosophy degree with distinction, a Master of Arts degree with honours, a Doctor of Philosophy, and a Doctor of Literature. In 2003, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University  College London, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Career. Moon is recognised for his study of the Treaty of Waitangi, and has published two books on the topic. He has also produced the biographies of Governors William Hobson and Robert FitzRoy, and the Ngā Puhi chief Hone Heke. In 2003, he published the book "Tohunga: Hohepa Kereopa", an explication regarding tohunga of the Ngāi Tūhoe. He has also written a major biography of the Ngā Puhi politician and Kotahitanga leader Hone Heke Ngapua (1869–1909), and wrote "Fatal Frontiers" – a history of New Zealand in the  1830s. In addition to writing books, Moon is a frequent contributor to national and international academic journals on a variety of history-related topics. Currently, Moon is Professor of History at the Auckland University of Technology's Te Ara Poutama, the Faculty of Māori Development, where he has taught since 1993. In the 2022 New Year Honours, Moon was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education and historical research. Media appearances. Moon has appeared on TVNZ's "Frontier of Dreams" programme explaining the history of the Waitangi Treaty, on Prime TV's "New Zealand 's Top 100 History Makers" programme, on TVNZ's "Close Up", "Marae", "Te Karere", and "Waka Huia" programmes, on TV3 News, on Sky News Australia, and on Māori Television as an election night analyst. He is a frequent commentator on Treaty-related issues on Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" programme, on Newstalk ZB, Radio Pacific, and Radio Live. Controversies. Moon's criticism of Bishop Pompallier. Moon's 2001 biography of Hone Heke caused a major controversy because of its treatment of Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier, whom Moon described as 'seditious' and 'treasonous' – a view fellow historian Michael King rejected  as "Absolute nonsense...reflecting the anti-Catholic prejudices widespread among Protestant missionaries at the time". Māori cannibalism. Moon's 2008 book "This Horrid Practice", in which he discusses cannibalism amongst historical Māori, has also drawn criticism. It sparked accusations that Moon was demonising Māori, and some argued the book was "a return to Victorian values". Moon responded in a newspaper article in which he accused the critics of the book of attempting to censor him. He also was critical of some of the superficial commentaries made by particular academics, and noted that many people had criticised the book before it  had even been released. Heke's flagpole. In 2009 the auction firm Dunbar Sloane announced its intention to sell a piece of wood allegedly taken from the flagpole Hōne Heke chopped down at Russell in the mid-1840s. Moon was asked for a professional opinion and stated that the piece of wood was almost certainly a late nineteenth century fake. The item was withdrawn from auction, but sold privately to the Russell Museum later in the year for an undisclosed sum. Personal. Family. Paul Moon was born in Auckland, the son of Evan Moon, a solicitor, and Dragica Moon (née Pavličević ) who emigrated to New Zealand from Montenegro in 1966. His father's family came to New Zealand from Sussex, in the mid-1880s, and was involved in the establishment of the "Auckland Star" newspaper. Religion. Paul Moon identifies as a Congregationalist, and in July 2007 completed a history of Three Kings Congregational Church, in Mt. Roskill, Auckland, for its centenary. Moon's wife, Milica, is Serbian Orthodox.