Drawing on a wide range of sources in both English and Maori, this study explores the entrepreneurial activity of New Zealand's indigenous Maori in the early colonial period. Focusing on the two industries—coastal shipping and flourmilling—where Maori were spectacularly successful in the 1840s and 1850s, this title examines how such a society was able to develop capital-intensive investments and harness tribal ownership quickly and effectively to render commercial advantages. A discussion of the sudden decline in the "golden age" of Maori enterprise—from changing market conditions, to land alienation—is also included.