The artist James Alexander fought in the New Zealand wars. In his 1861 watercolour two Māori are dressed in North African uniforms, with blue fezzes and knickerbockers. This type of uniform was never adopted by Māori soldiers, and the depiction is an example of how readily Europeans placed Māori in other contexts.
Using this item
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference:
A-113-033
Watercolour by James Edward Alexander
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
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