Why were Maori legends recorded by European scholars during the 19th century?

During the 19th century, European scholars recorded Maori legends primarily because they believed the Maori people were in a state of terminal decline due to the devastating impact of European diseases.1

Driven by the assumption that the Maori population would eventually die out, these scholars sought to preserve the oral culture—which they recognized as highly figurative and possessing rare poetic beauty—before it was lost forever. While much of this collected material was stored in libraries, some was translated and published, ensuring that these narratives survived for future generations, including modern Maori scholars working to recover their cultural heritage.1