The first edition of the Pilgrim's Progress in Maori - 1854 - "He moemoea, otira, Ko nga korero o te huarahi" - Printed in Wellington, New Zealand

He moemoea, otira, Ko nga korero o te huarahi : e rere atu nei te tangata i tenei ao, a, tapoko noa ano ki tera ao atu

-The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

-He mea perehi e Te Toki, ki Weretana, Poneke, Poneke, 1854 

-Published by Robert Stokes in Wellington, New Zealand in 1854

-Translated by Henry Kemp 

-225 pages and 6 engravings (complete) 

With Binding of the General Assembly of New Zealand (which has been dissolved) and Withdrawal stamp to inner cover

This is the first edition of the pilgrim’s progress by John Bunyan - Printed in Wellington in 1854

This copy comes from the Old parliamentary library of New Zealand - which was shortsightedly dissolved by the New Zealand Government over the past few years. 

This translation was arranged by George Grey - the governor of New Zealand - who wanted to encourage Māori literacy. Māori were noted to develop literacy extremely quickly and this became a popular book.

Despite good early relationships and an appreciation for Māori culture, relationships between British and the Māori soon soured with the arrival of large number of settlers after 1850 who wanted land. 

Despite a deep appreciation for Māori culture, Grey himself would lead the New Zealand wars in the later 19th century when huge amounts of land were violently seized from Māori. 

This important early Māori work rarely appears on the open market and is a fascinating piece of early New Zealand Printing. 

Worldcat states 3 copies only in the USA (Hawaii, Iowa, California). Most remaining copies are in New Zealand and Australia.