1. ‘Pakeha’ refers to non-indigenous New Zealanders. None of our informants identified themselves as Maori but some may have been of Maori descent. Maori strictures governing menstruation were linked to a more extensive law of tapu. Maori understandings of menstruation appear to have had very little impact on non-Maori in the period under discussion. See Coney SandraStanding in the SunshinePenguin Auckland 1993 97 and MakeretiThe Old-Time MaoriNew Women's Press Auckland 1986 reprint edition 138 140
2. The development of this article has been substantially influenced by the insights of Bente Rosenbeck who was the commentator on the paper at the 1996 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women. We are grateful for her input, and the comments of Rima Apple who gave a paper in the same session