Māori Encounters with India (1820s): A Forgotten Chapter of Global History
When two Māori Chiefs Travelled to India.
By Dr Harpreet Singh | drhsinghnz.substack.com | FB: @DrHSinghNZ
In 1826, two young Māori rangatira (chiefs) from the Hauraki Gulf region boarded the timber ship St Patrick, bound for Calcutta, which was then the capital of British India. Captain Peter Dillon, who recorded their journey, gave them European nicknames: “Prince Brian Boru” and “His Excellency Morgan McMarragh.” Their voyage was part of the growing global networks of trade in timber and flax (harakeke), linking Aotearoa (New Zealand) to Asia through the British Empire.
Why Calcutta Mattered to the British
Calcutta was not just any city. In the early 19th century, it was the administrative and commercial hub of British India, serving as the headquarters of the East India Company and later the British colonial government. It controlled trade routes across the Bay of Bengal and was a key port for goods like jute, tea, and opium. For Britain, Calcutta symbolised imperial power and wealth, with grand colonial buildings, bustling markets, and a population that dwarfed anything Māori travellers had ever seen. This made their impressions even more striking. It was also the same period of the Sikh Empire in nearby Punjab, which traded heavily with the British.
The Māori Description of Bengal
When they arrived in Calcutta, the chiefs were welcomed by colonial society and took in the sights with curiosity. Their impressions were published in Dillon’s book Narrative and Successful Result of a Voyage in the South Seas (1829):
“They expressed themselves much dissatisfied with the climate of Bengal, which they said was excessively hot, and the streets so crowded that they could scarcely move without being jostled. They were astonished at the number of people, and declared that in their own country they never saw so many together. They complained of the food, which they said was too highly seasoned, and the continual noise and bustle of the city annoyed them greatly. One of them remarked that he would never return to Calcutta, and advised his friend Titore not to visit it, as he would find nothing agreeable there.”
This is a rare Māori view of India during the colonial period. It shows how they struggled with the heat, were amazed by the crowds, and found the food and constant noise hard to handle.
Why Did Māori Travel to India?
These trips were not random. The chiefs sailed on a ship involved in the timber trade, supplying kauri (native pine) spars for ship masts. Māori leaders saw these voyages as chances for adventure, diplomacy, and learning. Their presence in Bengal shows how Māori society at the time was open to connecting with distant cultures.
What Happened After They Returned?
After coming back to Aotearoa in 1827, the chiefs returned to their communities. Their iwi (tribes), probably Ngāti Maru or Ngāti Pāoa of the Hauraki region, soon faced the turmoil of the Musket Wars, a time of fierce intertribal fighting. Overseas travel may have boosted their mana (status), but survival at home depended more on muskets and alliances than on diplomacy abroad.
Legacy and Cultural Exchange
Although short, these visits were a unique moment of cultural exchange. Māori travellers experienced Indian customs, food, and colonial life, while people in Calcutta saw Polynesian traditions for the first time. This story also hints at later Indo-Māori links, including marriages between Indian lascars (sailors) and Māori women in Aotearoa from the 1810s onwards.