Dame Claudia Orange | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Orange in 2017 | |
| Born | Claudia Josepha Bell (1938-04-17)17 April 1938 (age 87) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland |
| Spouse | Rod Orange |
| Children | Three |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | New Zealand history |
| Theses | |
| Doctoral advisor | Keith Sinclair |
Dame Claudia Josepha OrangeDNZM OBE CRSNZ (néeBell, born 17 April 1938) is a New Zealand historian best known for her 1987 bookThe Treaty of Waitangi, which won 'Book of the Year' at theGoodman Fielder Wattie Book Award in 1988.[1]
Since 2013 she has been the head of research at theMuseum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa inWellington, where she was previously the director of collections and research. In 2018 she was made a Companion of theRoyal Society Te Apārangi in recognition of her service to the humanities.[2]
Orange was born inAuckland in 1938. Her father, Monty Bell, was a fluent speaker ofte reo Māori, knewĀpirana Ngata and joined theDepartment of Māori Affairs in Gisborne, so she grew up well aware ofMāori issues.[3] She trained and practised as a dental nurse for 15 years[4] before starting university studies. Her 1977 master's thesis at theUniversity of Auckland was titledA kind of equality: Labour and the Maori people, 1935–1949.[5] She completed her PhD in 1984, also at the University of Auckland, and the title of this doctoral thesis wasThe Treaty of Waitangi: a study of its making, interpretation and role in New Zealand history.[6] She is married to Rod Orange and has three adult children.[3]
From 1975 to 1983 Orange was a history lecturer at theUniversity of Auckland. From 1990 she was general editor of theDictionary of New Zealand Biography, having been associate editor previously; she also worked onTe Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. She was also an associate editor for the newDictionary of National Biography (Britain).
Between 1997 and 2000 she was acting chief historian of the History Branch in theDepartment of Internal Affairs. Late in 2003 she became director of history and Pacific cultures at theMuseum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa inWellington. Since 2013 Orange has been the head of research at Te Papa.[7]
Orange was the historian custodian of the "Treaty Road show", which was a tour around New Zealand sponsored by the New Zealand government. It attracted some public criticism as being ineffective and "an enormous disappointment" from her fellow historianPaul Moon.[8]
The 1987 book was derived from her 1984 PhD thesis.[9] Despite being an academic history, it was a popular success, due primarily to an upsurge in interest in theTreaty of Waitangi caused by the increasing importance of theWaitangi Tribunal and also major Māori protests atWaitangi Day celebrations.[citation needed] The book has become a definitive reference for interpreting the relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi.[citation needed] Several shorter versions of the book have been published for young and non-academic audiences, and a revised edition was released in 2011.
In 1990, Orange was awarded theNew Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[10] In the1993 New Year Honours, she was made anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to historical research.[11] She was appointed aDistinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, also for services to historical research, in the2009 New Year Honours.[12] She accepted re-designation as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in August 2009 following the restoration of titular honours by the New Zealand government.[13]
In 2018, Orange was made a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in recognition of her work to improve awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi, of New Zealand biography, and of the role of museums in communicating New Zealand's story.[2]
In 2021, Orange received thePrime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in Non-fiction.[14]
