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The Maori People Of New Zealand

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Introduction: The Maori people of New Zealand originated from eastern Polynesia via a series of canoe voyages sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE – they situated across the country in rural areas constituting in villages and tribes. Overtime, the indigenous people created and sustained a very unique culture known as the “Maori” including their own language, arts, literature, and of course language. They based their rituals on eastern Polynesian traditions and social customs with a strong agricultural and fishing economy.
They continued this lifestyle until the late 17th century; the arrival of Europeans to New Zealand changed almost the entirety of the Maori’s way of life. They began to transition into a more westernized society and way of …show more content…

Further, they take part in higher levels of crime, poor education standards, as well as health problems. Many different initiatives have been put in place to reduce the discrepancy between the people of New Zealand and the process is currently underway. Historical Background: Since the first ‘Maori’ person stepped foot on New Zealand, they have gone through many different time periods / transitions. They began in the Archaic period (1280 – 1500) that consisted of much wildlife and dependence on the land – the majority of their settlement was on or within six miles of the coast. They established themselves in small temporary camps inland with sizes ranging from forty people to almost four hundred with up to forty buildings. This time frame is famous for its lack of fortifications and weapons. Next, the Maori people entered the Classic period (1500 – 1642) known for its vast amount of natural disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis that destroyed many coastal settlements and caused the extinction of many food species (especially Moa – a typical meal for the Maori people). This caused a major shift for the Maori people as they began to develop pounamu (‘greenstone’) weapons and ornaments as well as very well crafted canoes – a shift into a warrior culture. Furthermore, the Maori

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