Long before the first Europeans laid eyes upon the island nation of New Zealand, the Maori people inhabited the land. Estimated to have arrived around 1250 AD (Sorrenson, p. 45), the Maori came to New Zealand from surrounding Polynesian islands. There are several legends about how these settlers arrived, like the story of Kupe and the wheke of Muturangi (Alpers, p. 133). The first Maori population was small in number (“Founding Population”, 2005), but with time they grew into a large and powerful society, with a strong set of cultural values, including the aspects of tapu and noa (“Traditional Maori Society”, 2005), and kaitiakitanga (Royal, “Kaitiakitanga”). Even without a written language for over 500 years, the Maori established deep societal roots in New Zealand that have stayed in tact to this day.
The Maori are thought to have first arrived in New Zealand in the mid-13th century. However, since their language wasn’t put into written form until 1815 (Stafford, p. 42), there was no official documentation of the original migration. As one Maori legend has it, “it was the demigod Maui who fished up these islands from the bottom of the sea, but it was Kupe who discovered them” (Alpers, p. 133). Kupe lived in Hawaiki, the original homeland of the Maori people, according to their mythology. His cousin, Hoturapa, was married to a woman named Kura marotini, whom Kupe desired. One day, while on a fishing trip, Kupe tricked Hoturapa into diving under the water, and then abandoned him to drown (p. 134). Kupe made off with Kura marotini, and to avoid her family’s suspicion regarding the ‘accident’ with Hoturapa, he decided to leave Hawaiki with his family, his new wife, and a priest named Reti (p. 134). On this journey is when he discovered New Zealand, which they named “Aotearoa,” or “Long White Cloud” (p. 135). The legend states that as Kupe and his crew continued their voyage around the island, they happened upon a wheke, or giant octopus, near present-day Castle Point (p. 135). The wheke fled, and Kupe pursued it, before it stopped in Te Awaiti- later to be renamed Cook Strait. It was here that the wheke retaliated, trying to destroy the canoe and Kupe’s crew. A long battle ensued, before Kupe tricked the wheke with a diversion and finally killed it (p. 138). Afterward, he spent a short time the islands before heading back to Hawaiki and telling of his discoveries (p. 139).
The first official Maori settlements are thought to have been in the North Cape or the Corumandel Peninsula (“Earliest Settlers”, 2005). Modern scientists have used DNA testing in an attempt to estimate the number of people in the first population, and believe it to be between 100-200 individuals, with around 70 females (“Founding Populations”, 2005). These people are known to have been hunters and gatherers, and Maori gardens have even been uncovered dating back to the 14th century (“Living Off the Land”, 2005). They lived in a hierarchical, self-governing society that was largely divided into two classes: “the rangatira- those of the superior or aristocratic class- and the ware or tutua- those thought of as commoners” (Stafford, p. 28). The marae was where everything of tribal consequence was conducted, and according to Stafford, “of greatest significance within any Maori community is the marae, or plaza, together with its wharenui- meeting house- and wharekai- dining room” (p. 22).
Since the earliest settlements, Maori society has placed a huge importance on their cultural values. Two such values are tapu and noa (“Traditional Maori Society”, 2005). The word tapu was originally used to describe something as “sacred” or “holy” (Vaggioli, p. 244). Violators of tapu were severely punished, by God and the tribe (p. 245). According to Vaggioli, “princes, or great chiefs, and priests are sacred persons, and everything pertaining to them is sacred; they represent the Divinity and rule in his name; if they violate tapu they are punished by God” (p. 245). Other things including marriage, newborns, the first harvest, and the first man killed in battle were all tapu (p. 246). On the other hand, noa was attributed to the poor or common folk of tribe, including women and slaves taken in battle. Sometimes a person of tapu wouldn’t touch their food or utensils when they ate because those were considered noa (“Traditional Maori Society”). People considered to be noa were prohibited from certain activities like hunting.
Another significant cultural value of the Maori is kaitiakitanga, meaning guardianship or protection of the environment (Royal, “Kaitiakitanga”). Early examples of kaitiakitanga included taking only what was needed from nature, fishing and hunting for food- not for sport, and even temporary bans on taking food from a certain area (“Kaitiakitanga”). The practice of kaitiakitanga was crucial to preserving the environment’s mana, or spiritual power. Today, the Maori people continue to use kaitiakitanga by trying to stop pollution in rivers and saving endangered species (“Kaitiakitanga”).
After nearly three-quarters of a millennium in New Zealand, the Maori people and their culture are still prominent. While some of their cultural values may have become less extreme- the original penalty for violating tapu was death (Stafford, p. 58)- many are still practiced to this day. With such deep roots in this country, it’s safe to assume the Maori people will continue to thrive for many more years to come.
References
Alpers, A., & Hanly, P. (1996). Maori myths & tribal legends (2nd ed.). New Zealand: Longman.
The Maori - Spirituality - New Zealand in History. (2008). Retrieved from http://history-nz.org/maori6.html#tapu
Royal, C. (2012, December 4). Kaitiakitanga – guardianship and conservation – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kaitiakitanga-guardianship-and-conservation
Sorrenson, M. P. (1979). Maori origins and migrations: The genesis of some Pakeha myths and legends. Auckland: Auckland University Press.
Stafford, D. M. (1997). Introducing Maori culture. Auckland [N.Z.: Reed.
Vaggioli, F., & Crockett, J. (2010). The Maori: A history of the earliest inhabitants of New Zealand. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.
Whakapapa Productions (2005). Founding Population [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://history.tearapoutama.ac.nz/images/uploads/founding_population.mov
Whakapapa Productions (2005). Living Off the Land [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://history.tearapoutama.ac.nz/images/uploads/living_off_the_land.mov
Whakapapa Productions (2005). Maori Arrival [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://history.tearapoutama.ac.nz/images/uploads/maori_arrival.mov
Whakapapa Productions (2005). Traditional Maori Society [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://history.tearapoutama.ac.nz/images/uploads/traditional_maori_society.mov
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