Preservation and Destruction: the story of Elsdon Best (Part 2)

'Tūhoe, Children of the Mist' is Elsdon Best's extensive two-volume ethnographic study of the Tūhoe iwi, first published in 1925, compiling material he recorded over decades in Te Urewera. The books gather histories, whakapapa, rituals, and cultural practices recited by Tūhoe rangatira and kaumatua, and for much of the 20th century served as a principal written source on pre-European Tūhoe life. While invaluable for preserving many oral traditions, the work reflects Best's interpretive lens and some contested theories, so modern scholars treat it critically. Its scope and detail make it a major historical resource, but it must be read in conjunction with contemporary Tūhoe scholarship and perspectives. The volumes illustrate both the value and limits of early ethnographic documentation produced within colonial contexts.

Elsdon Best's 'The Sea of Rippling Waters' recounts his 1890s journey to Lake Waikare Moana (Waikare Moana), combining vivid descriptions of the landscape with transcribed kōrero, songs, and histories from Tūhoe elders. The book functions as both a tourist-style guide to the region and an ethnographic record preserving oral traditions Best feared were vanishing. It played a formative role in Best's career, showcasing his methods of recording Māori narratives and shorthand technique for Māori language. The work has historical importance for preserving material from senior rangatira, though later scholarship critiques Best's interpretations and colonial lens. Contemporary readers use it cautiously as both a primary source and an artifact of its author's period attitudes.

The album is a collaboration between American R&B singer R. Kelly and American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 12, 2002, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Jive Records. The album received mixed reviews from critics, but was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over 289,000 copies in its first week. It was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).