A scholar, linguist, surveyor and soldier, Tregear had come to New Zealand in 1863 when his family faced financial ruin. He became fluent in Māori and was fascinated by their culture. As a result of his studies in comparative mythology and linguistics he published the controversial book The Aryan Maori in 1885. He claimed that Māori and European shared an ancient Aryan heritage and the Indo-European language. Over the next 20 years he continued to explore this theory, which was often criticised in New Zealand but generally accepted overseas.

Learn more at the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
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