Māori originated with settlers from east polynesia, who arrived in new zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350 Māori, member of a polynesian people of new zealand Their traditional history describes their origins in terms of waves of migration that culminated in the arrival of a “great fleet” in the 14th century from hawaiki, a mythical land usually identified as tahiti. Māori culture is an integral part of life in aotearoa, new zealand For millennia, māori have been the tangata whenua, the indigenous people of aotearoa Arriving here from the polynesian homeland of hawaiki over 1,000 years ago, the great explorer kupe, was the first māori to reach these lands.
Settling first on the coast, they hunted seals and moas They also began to grow food, and some moved to the forests They lived in small tribal groups, with a rich culture of spoken stories, and strong traditions of warfare Their ancestors, and the gods of the natural world, were very important. In the 19th century, the term māori entered general use alongside pākehā According to the te aka māori dictionary, pākehā has several meanings
Māori are tangata whenua — people of the land They came to aotearoa from polynesia in the 13th century and created a new language and culture Research indicates that māori originated in eastern polynesia Abel tasman’s arrival in 1642 is the first firm evidence of europeans reaching new zealand. Maori culture is a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of ancient traditions, spiritual beliefs, and artistic expressions It stretches back a thousand years, brought to aotearoa (new zealand) by polynesian voyagers
This rich heritage isn’t merely beautiful carvings or the stirring haka dance.
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