“Ka korero mai ki au i whea ahau”: a biography of Katerina Nikorima, Ngāti Pou.

Abstract

Despite appearing in three Charles F. Goldie paintings, very little is known about Katerina Nikorima, Ngāti Pou. Drawing on various publicly accessible sources, this article explores Katerina, her life, and her ambiguous position in society to reconstruct her story in the context of nineteenth and early twentieth-century New Zealand. Born to Māori parents, Katerina was orphaned at a young age and informally adopted by Sir William and Lady Mary Ann Martin who arranged for her to receive a European education. After completing her education, Katerina used her training in language and singing to work with Māori, especially in the Hauraki and Auckland, to promote Māori needs. In later life, Katerina withdrew from the Pākehā society of her upbringing before she eventually disappeared from contemporary records.