Maori History and Culture

I have always had an interest in Polynesian culture which i do not think has had enough exposure. We look at the Chinese, Indians and other cultures but the richness and diversity of the settlement of the South Pacific get short shrift. Yet, it is a fascinating and rich. The peoples emanating from Asia settled right across the Pacific to South America and back to the islands in the Pacific and eventually New Zealand. Many people, I think, imagine that the Maoris were in New Zealand from the beginning of time, that is not the case. Maori settlement in New Zealand dates to around 1300 AD.

The anthropological theories are quite mixed and one suggests that New Zealand was first populated by a primitive, nomadic, moa-hunting people (the Palaeolithic Moriori), before being replaced by a superior, agricultural people (the Neolithic Māori).

Some maps which try to explain the various human migrations which ended up populating Polynesia. This shows that New Zealand was one of the last paces to be populated.

This map shows the routes of population to both North and South America.

This is a 'bullet point summary of some facts about Maori culture which i have found on a website. It is skimpy, in the extreme but gives some important facts about the history and culture of the Maoris.

• The Maori are the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand.
• The Maori are a Polynesian people, most closely related to eastern Polynesians.
• Maori arrived in New Zealand, then known as The Land of the Long White Cloud, around AD950 in canoes. They mostly settled in the Northern parts of New Zealand as they were warmer.
• Maori were a deeply superstitious and religious people, believing in gods and the spirits of their ancestors.
• The Haka is a traditional, ancestral war cry, dance or challenge of the Maori. It is used to greet important people visiting a Marae, at national festivals, sports events and other important occasions.Maori culture is steeped in legend, rich with spiritual beliefs.
• Maori define themselves by their iwi (tribe), hapu (sub-tribe), maunga (mountain) and awa (river).
• Maori speak fluent English.
• Te Reo Maori is the Maori Language. It is classified as part of the Polynesian Group of the Eastern Oceanic Branch of the Austronesian languages, and is an official language of New Zealand.
• Marae's (communal plazas) are important within the Maori community, and provides a focus for social, cultural and spiritual life. They are often made of elaborately carved wood.
• Traditional arts such as carving, weaving, kapa haka (group performance), whaikorero (oratory) and moko (tattoo) are common Maori practices, and are still actively used throughout the country.
• Dutch navigator Abel Tasman was the first European to encounter the Maori, however, British explorer Captain James Cook was the first to officially discover New Zealand and document contact with the Maori.
• In 1840 representatives of Britain and Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi which established British rule over New Zealand, and granted the Maori British citizenship and recognized Maori land rights. The translation of this treaty has been cause for much dispute over the years.
• Later, the British reneged on the Treaty and engaged in what have been called the Maori Wars which saw the lands which had been allocated in the Treaty reduced down to much smaller areas. The wrongs perpetrated at that time are now slowly being corrected as best they can be.
• The early settlers of New Zealand hunted the moa - large flightless birds, to extinction.

Maoris outside a Marae, note the carved wood.

In Maori culture the people are guided by two main beliefs: Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga. 

Manaakitanga, which values hospitality, is all about teaching the Maori people to treat visitors and guests with an abundance kindness and have mutual respect for their beliefs. Kaitiakitanga, which values guardianship teaches the philosophy of caring for the natural world. Maori people take the responsibility of caring for and protecting their land very seriously.

Significant Māori cultural events or activities include:

• The "tangi" is a Maori funeral. It almost always takes place on the home marae of the deceased. The rituals followed are essentially Christian. The tangi begins with a powhiri to welcome guests. It is normal for Maori to travel very long distances to attend the tangi of a loved one. Often black clothes are worn, following Victorian practices. Guests will speak formally about the deceased on the Marae atea often referring to tribal history and using humour. Pathos is commonly used to create a feeling of comfort and unity. Speeches are supported by Waiata(songs). The whanau of the deceased sit by the coffin on the wharenui porch but do not speak or reply. The family may often hold or display photos of the deceased or important ancestors. A tangi may go on for several days, especially for a person of great mana. Rainfall during a tangi is seen as a divine sign of sorrow.
• The hui or meeting, usually on a marae. It begins with a pōwhiri (a welcome). If a visitor is noteworthy, he or she may be welcomed with an aggressive challenge by a warrior armed with a taiaha (traditional fighting staff), who then offers a token of peace, such as a fern frond, to the visitor. Acceptance of the token in the face of such aggression is a demonstration of the courage and mana (authority, charisma, prestige, dignity) of the visitor. The pōwhiri is highly structured, with speeches from both hosts and guests following a traditional format, their sequence dictated by the kawa (protocol) of that place, and followed by waiata, songs. Hui are held for business, for festivities or for rites of passage such as baptism, marriage and death. It is appreciated if foreign guests can say a few words in Māori and sing a song they are familiar with as a group.
• The haka – an action chant, often described as a "war dance", but more a chant with hand gestures and foot stomping, originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess by way of abusing the opposition. Now, this procedure is regularly performed by New Zealand representatives of rugby and rugby league teams before a game begins. There are many different haka; though, one, "Ka mate" by Te Rauparaha, is much more widely known than any other.
• Kapa haka (haka groups) often come together to practice and perform cultural items such as waiata or songs, especially action songs, and haka for entertainment. Poi dances may also form part of the repertoire. Traditional instruments sometime accompany the group, though the guitar is also commonly used. Many New Zealand schools now have a kapa haka as part of the Māori studies curriculum. Today, national kapa haka competitions are held where groups are judged to find the best performers; these draw large crowds. The common expression "kapa haka group" is strictly speaking, a tautology.
• Koha are gifts to the hosts, often of food or traditional items, though money is most commonly used today. Traditionally, the essence of koha is that it is voluntary and comes from the heart, so to specify the amount is contrary to its spirit. Increasingly, it is common for the koha to be a fixed sum per head that is communicated to the guests in private, so there is no embarrassment. Recipients rely on the donors' aroha (empathy), manaakitanga (cherishing) and wairua (spirit) to ensure that it is enough. Thanks for koha are accordingly warm.
• Matariki, "Māori New Year", celebrates the first rising of the Pleiades in late May or early June. Traditionally the actual time for the celebration of Matariki varies, with some iwi celebrating it immediately, others waiting until the rising of the next full moon. It is a day where they pay respect to the people they have lost but also gain over the last year that has passed. They celebrate the day and night with prayers, feast, love, singing and music. After lapsing for many years it is now becoming more widely celebrated in a range of ways and over the period of a week or month anywhere from early June to late July.

This is the first verse of the National Anthem of New Zealand in both the Maori and English translations.

E Ihowa Atua
O ngā iwi mātou rā,
āta whakarongo na;
Me aroha noa.
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa.

God of nations at thy feet
in the bonds of love we meet.
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific’s triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Maori Demographics

In 2013:

• In 2017 the population of New Zealand was 4.8 million
• 74% of the New Zealand population identified as of European origin, 15% of Maori origin, 7% of Pacific origin, the remainder of Asian and other ethnicity.
• The majority of Maori live in the North Island
• In the 2013 census, 598,605 people identified as being part of the Māori ethnic group, accounting for 14.9% of the New Zealand population, while 668,724 people (17.5%) claimed Māori descent. 278,199 people identified as of sole Māori ethnicity, while 291,015 identified as of both European and Māori ethnicity (with or without a third ethnicity), due to a high rate of intermarriage between the two cultures. Under the Maori Affairs Amendment Act 1974, a Māori is defined as “a person of the Māori race of New Zealand; and includes any descendant of such a Māori.
• Maori Tribes - According to the 2013 census, the largest iwi (tribe) by population is Ngāpuhi (125,601), followed by Ngāti Porou (71,049), Ngāi Tahu (54,819) and Waikato (40,083). However, over 110,000 people of Māori descent could not identify their iwi. 
• Outside of New Zealand, a large Māori population exists in Australia, estimated at 155,000 in 2011. 
• The Māori Party has suggested a special seat should be created in the New Zealand parliament representing Māori in Australia. 
• Smaller communities also exist in the United Kingdom (approx. 8,000), the United States (up to 3,500) and Canada (approx. 1,000).

This difficult to read map gives some idea of the number and location of Maori iwi or tribes among the Maori and shows that the predominant area for Maori settlement is in the North Island.