The Imperialism of Cultural Assimilation: Sir George Grey's Encounter with the Maori and the Xhosa, 1845-1868

As governor in New Zealand (1845-53 and 1861-68) and in South Africa (1854-61), Sier George Grey was recognized by his contemporaries as one of the most successful colonial administrators in the British empire. Grey's reputation rested in large part on his celebrated "native policy," which he characterized as a program of "amalgamation." This article examines the implementation of Grey's amalgamation strategy between 1845 and 1868 and evaluates its effects. The immediate legacy was the advent of a spirited resistance, a cultural rejection of colonial domination by the Xhosa and the Maori. At the same time, Grey's policies helped pave the way for white supremacy in South Africa as well as the alienation of millions of acres of Maori land in New Zealand.