ABSTRACT
The mutability of the Gothic is frequently noted, with Catherine Spooner describing it in terms of a malevolent virus and as something capable of lurking 'in all sorts of unexpected corners'. The ability of the Gothic to change over time and to colonize a range of disciplines is matched by its ability to adapt according to place. In New Zealand, the Gothic has most commonly been associated with Pakeha (New Zealanders of European heritage) artists exploring extreme psychological states, isolation and violence. The psychological nature of New Zealand Gothic has undergone a transformation in recent writing aimed at younger readers. Supernatural elements such as taniwha and ancestral warriors not only provide the sense of antiquity so necessary to the Gothic, they also help transmit knowledge about indigenous cultures. It is also significant to note that indigenous culture offers a more accessible storehouse of tropes appropriate to the Gothic than Western culture.
