July 30, 2013
Land court records trove of family history
Auckland library is making whakapapa research a little easier.
It has purchased a set of Māori Land Court records from the National Archive, including minutes, commissioners’ and judges’ minute books and papatupu minute books.
The bound facsimiles replace microfilms that often presented a challenge for researchers.
Brad Argent from Ancestry.com.au, which is supporting the initiative, says while his site has more than 22 million New Zealand records, most of what is in the minute books will never be searchable in digital format.
"One of the great things about online is you can do all this stuff online and it’s great to be able to sit there in your pyjamas and do your family history but if you just do that, you are missing out on so much. So much of this stuff is still off line. Less than 2 percent of the world’s genealogical record has been digitised. So don’t think it stops with online. It starts there but you have got to get up from behind the screen and go to the library, there is just so much information there, "he says.
For August, which is New Zealand Family History Month, Ancestry.com.au is making is making available free of charge its Māori family history resources.
These include a database of Māori land claims and petitions filed to parliament from 1858 to 1980 and Māori voter and electoral rolls.
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