THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY PROTECTION OF AUTHOR ’S COPYRIGHT This copy has been supplied by the Library of the University of Otago on the understanding that the following conditions will be observed: 1. To comply with s56 of the Copyright Act 1994 [NZ], this thesis copy must only be used for the purposes of research or private study. 2. The author's permission must be obtained before any material in the thesis is reproduced, unless such reproduction falls within the fair dealing guidelines of the Copyright Act 1994. Due acknowledgement must be made to the author in any citation. 3. No further copies may be made without the permission of the Librarian of the University of Otago. August 2010 INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC: ARCHAEOZOOLOGY OF THE TE HOE SHORE WHALING STATION, I > NEW ZEALAND Tiffany James-Lee I: I ·1 ·/ A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand \ '> \ Date: 30 June 2006 ,> Abstract Faunal analysis has long been a strength in the archaeology of prehistoric New Zealand, though its use in the interpretations of historic sites has been relatively recent. This thesis presents the results and interpretations of faunal analyses conducted on three early-mid, late prehistoric, and historic faunal assemblages from Te Hoe, the site of a nineteenth century shore whaling station on the North Island East Coast. Historic sources from the mid-nineteenth century are used to describe the shore whaling industry and lifestyle of whaling communities. Taxa utilised, habitats exploited, indigenous/exotic species focus and butchery unit analysis are used to provide a picture of resource use and dietary consumption at Te Hoe. These results are then compared between the three assemblages to examine temporal changes in the diet of the occupants at Te Hoe during these three periods. The historic faunal assemblage from Te Hoe is then compared with faunal assemblages from four other nineteenth century shore whaling station sites in New Zealand and Australia. This intersite comparison places the results from Te Hoe in temporal and spatial contexts. Finally, with the aid of historic resources, the emergence of the unique cultural identity of New Zealanders of European ancestry - Pakeha - is evidenced in the period of nineteenth century shore whalers, such as those that live at Te ) Hoe. ) /- iii Acknowledgements A big thank you is due to my supervisor, Ian Smith, for taking me on after four years away from anthropology. You have taught me to look at lamb chops in a completely different light! Thanks for dealing with my numerous email and text queries, and remaining remarkably tolerant through my 'dead synapse' days and periods of panic. Thank you to Helen Leach for coming on board as my 'on the ground' supervisor - especially for returning drafts so quickly when you were so busy. Your insightful comments and criticisms added more detail to this research. Thanks to Mum and Dad for being so understanding and supportive through the whole process, and especially in the last few months. Thanks for letting me borrow the ute! I might give it back some day. Thanks to my brother Roger for random discussions on zoology, zooarchaeology, and anthropology over wine and beer. Thanks to Goretti, Lizi and Erica for adding some light-heartedness to some hard months. Thanks to my sister Bronnie and my brother Gus for keeping in touch. Thanks to my support crew of departmental whanau - Heather, Catherine, Marj and Bron, who all looked out for me in their own special ways. Extra big thanks to Heather for helping me out with all the technological details and 'quiet' space in the last month of writing. Thanks to Fiona Kirk, Yolanda Vogel and Ian Smith for checking my bone IDs - you saved my synapses from permanent burn out. Thanks to Y anbin for her technical help with EndNote. Thanks to Kiri, who through the last year and a half has not only become a very good friend, but was immensely helpful in all our discussions on faunal analysis issues. You provided much needed sanity, and your smile, sense of humour and warm heart has been sorely missed. Thanks to Kat for your guidance, continual encouragement and proof-reading. :, Without your support I may have ended up flipping burgers at Macca' s. Thanks to the other sardines I have met and gotten to know during my time in this tin: Nikki, Dan, Rob, Lynda, Chris, Jason, Jae, Marieke, Adrian, Moira, and Fiona. \ ' ! V Table of Contents ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................... V LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................ IX LISTOFFAUNA ......................................................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 SHORE WHALING COMMUNITIES AND AOTEAROA ....................................................................... 1 1.2 RESEARCH AIMS AND QUESTIONS ................................................................................................ 1 (. 1.3 WHALING IN NEW ZEALAND········································································································ 2 1.4 ARCHAEOZOOLOGY IN NEW ZEALAND -THE PREHISTORIC PERIOD ......................................... 10 " 1.5 ARCHAEOZOOLOGY IN NEW ZEALAND - CONTACT AND HISTORIC PERIODS ........................... 14 1.6 CONTINUITY ANDCHANGEINFAUNA ........................................................................................ 16 1.7 THE ARCHAEOZOOLOGY OF NINETEENTH CENTURY SHORE WHALING ...................................... 31 " 1.8 THESIS STRUCTURE ..................................................................................................................... 32 " CHAPTER 2 TE HOE - HISTORY, ENVIRONMENT AND ARCHAEOLOGY .............................. 33 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 33 2.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 33 " 2.3 GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, AND LOCAL RESOURCES ...................................................................... 44 2.4 PREVIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND EXCAVATIONS ON THE MAHIA PENINSULA .......... 45 2.5 SITE DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................................... 47 2.6 EXCAVATION METHODS ............................................................................................................. 48 2.7 SAMPLING STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................. 55 CHAPTER 3 METHODS ............................................................................................................................. 57 3.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 57 3.2 FAUNAL QUANTIFICATION METHODS ........................................................................................ 57 3.3 OBSERVING AND RECORDING THE CONDITION OF FAUNAL REMAINS ........................................ 65 3.4 FAUNAL ANALYSIS OF NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN NINETEENTH CENTURY SHORE WHALING STATION SITES ........................................................................................................... 67 3.5 IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION METHODS USED FOR THE TE HOE FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGES ........................................................................................................................... 68 3.6 HISTORICAL RESEARCH .............................................................................................................. 73 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS OF FAUNAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 75 4.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 75 4.2 COMPOSITION OF COLUMN SAMPLES BY ASSEMBLAGE .............................................................. 7 5 4.3 COMPOSITION OF GENERAL SAMPLES BY ASSEMBLAGE ............................................................ 82 4.4 INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC COMPONENTS OF THE FAUNA ............................................................ 99 ·' 4.5 EVIDENCE OF DOMESTIC MAMMAL BUTCHERY ....................................................................... 105 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................... 121 5.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 121 5.2. DATING THE ASSEMBLAGES .................................................................................................... 121 5.3 FAUNALEXPLOITATION AT TE HOE ........................................................................................ 123 5.4 PERIOD COMPARISON .............................................................................................................