Paul Moon

Paul Moon (born 1968) is a New Zealand historian and a professor at the Auckland University of Technology. He is a prolific writer of New Zealand history and biography, specialising in Māori history, the Treaty of Waitangi and the early period of Crown rule.

Infobox Writer
name = Paul Moon

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birthdate = 1968
birthplace = Auckland, New Zealand
occupation = Historian

Career

He 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, and a Doctor of Philosophy, and in 2003, was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University College London.

Moon is recognized 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. [cite web |url=http://www.davidling.co.nz/history.html |title=Backlist History Titles |accessdate=2007-05-10 |author=Ling, David |date=2007 |work=David Ling Publishing ] In 2003, he published the book "Tohunga: Hohepa Kereopa", an explication regarding tohunga of the Ngāi Tūhoe. [cite web |url=http://www.collectiblebooks.co.nz/index.php?pr=Maori |title=New Zealand Maori books |accessdate=2007-05-10 |work=Collectible Books ] He has also written a major biography of the Ngā Puhi politician and Kotahitanga leader Hone Heke Ngapua (1869-1909), and wrote the best-selling "Fatal Frontiers" – a history of New Zealand in the 1830s.cite web |url=http://www.times.co.nz/cms/arts/book_review/2006/05/art100011718.php |title=Fatal Frontiers |accessdate=2007-05-10 |author=Weil, Barbara |date=2006 |work=Times Newspaper Online ] 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.

Moon is no stranger to controversy. His 2002 book "Te Ara Ki Te Tiriti", which represented a watermark in Treaty scholarship, became a favourite of Maori activist groups, and copies of it were seen circulating in the Foreshore and Seabed Hikoi in 2004. On the other hand, in early 2007, he was described by one reviewer as New Zealand’s most right-historian following the release of his history of New Zealand in the 1830s, "Fatal Frontiers".fact|date=September 2008

Such labels have not concerned Moon, as he explained in 2007: ‘As an historian, you have to expect some knocks. I generally pay very little attention to what people say about my books – both criticism and praise. I am a great believer in Cromwell’s adage that the people who applaud you on your rise will be the same ones cheering at your execution’.

Paul Moon is estimated to be one of New Zealand's most financially successful authors, based on a combination of his prolific output and estimated sales of each of his books.

Criticism

Moon's works have come in for criticism from some reviewers. Their criticisms fall into two categories. The first relates to his historical approach. In many of his books, he has stated that he writes history from the perspective of those involved at the time, and not with the historian's benefit of hindsight. The result is that some of his conclusions differ from what later analyses of events reveal. The second criticism is of his writing style – something that has polarised reviewers. Some describe it as engaging, while others denounce it as not conforming to the typical style used in many New Zealand histories.

Media appearances

In the past few years, 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 Maori 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

Attacks over 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’. When interviewed by the New Zealand Herald on the strong reaction to his criticism of Pompallier, Moon pointed out that his comments in the book amounted to just a few sentences, and that his descriptions of Pompallier were entirely accurate based on the sources, including the oral histories of Heke's whanau.What followed, however, was a prolonged effort to undermine both the book and Moon. This was led by a Catholic priest and a Catholic academic, and continued for the next five years in a form that Moon noted included ‘a malicious whispering campaign as well as attempts to prevent me from publishing further research’.

In 2007, Moon discussed the matter with Father David Tonks – the Pastoral Assistant to the Bishop of Auckland. Tonks conceded that the actions of just a handful of individuals associated with the Church – including one priest – were ‘problematic’, and ‘uncharitable’, and that there had been a definite intent to undermine Moon’s integrity through a ‘character attack’. A commitment was given by the Catholic Church to bring an end to the invective against Moon from the relevant individuals, and Moon responded by saying ‘I fully trust Father Tonks’ sincerity, and as far as I am concerned, the matter has been laid to rest’.

Littlewood document

In 2004, Investigate magazine published a feature-length article on the so-called "Littlewood Treaty". Members of the One New Zealand Foundation claimed to have unearthed the ‘original’ English text of the Treaty of Waitangi, and alleged a conspiracy by the country’s historians to silence any discussion on it. Moon wrote a lengthy response to the article, published in the magazine’s next edition, which dismantled this conspiracy theory point by point. What followed was an internet campaign against Moon by supporters of the conspiracy, and the publication online of correspondence between Moon and Ross Baker of the One New Zealand Foundation over the Littlewood document.

In 2006, one proponent of the ‘Littlewood Treaty’ falsely implied that Moon had begun to support their cause, but was forced to retract this statement when Moon's solicitor threatened legal action.

Dispute with Claudia Orange

In January 2007, Paul Moon commented in a newspaper interview that the Government’s ‘Treaty Roadshow’ " [http://www.treaty2u.govt.nz/ Treaty 2U] " – a truck-and-trailer tour around the country of information about the Treaty of Waitangi – had been a poor use of money and was largely ineffectual, especially in the major centres where public interest in it was almost non-existent.
Claudia Orange, herself a Treaty expert and manager of the ‘Roadshow’, stated that Moon was “out of his mind” for reaching such conclusions. In April that year, Moon presented figures and analysis to support his original claim, to which Orange responded by labelling him as “irresponsible”.When asked for a reaction to Orange’s outbursts, Moon was quoted as saying: “Claudia's comments reflect poorly only on herself. I start each day with a clean slate. I don’t carry over any animosity from the previous day, and I certainly don’t nurse any grudge towards her”.

Māori cannibalism

Moon's 2008 book "This Horrid Practice", in which he discusses cannibalism amongst historical Māori, has also drawn substantial criticism. It sparked accusations that Moon was demonising Maoris, and some argued the book was "a return to Victorian values". Moon hit back 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. [Moon, Paul. " [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=134&objectid=10529547&pnum=0 Censorship alive and well and living in NZ] ", "The New Zealand Herald", 29 August 2008.] No other book on New Zealand history has provoked such controversy.

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 1965. His father's family came to New Zealand from Kent, Sussex, in the mid-1880s, and was involved in the establishment of the "Auckland Star" newspaper. His maternal grandfather, Radomir Pavličević (1905-1998), was a major-general in the Royal Yugoslav Army during the Second World War, and was sentenced to death as a war criminal in 1945 by the Communist regime – a sentence that was rescinded on the day of his execution.

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.

Other interests

Outside of his work in history, Moon has a strong interest in the music of the late Romantic period, particularly Brahms, and cites Edward Gibbon as his favourite author.

Bibliography

Books

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References

*New Zealand Herald, 27 April 2007
*Dominion Post, 27 April 2007
*Review in New Zealand Books, March 2007.