AOTEAROASocial Sciences – Place & Environment

LEARNING INTENTIONS

1.We will learn how Maori discovered and settled in Aotearoa, NZ.

2.We will learn what the Treaty of Waitangi is and how this affected the Maori people.

3. We will learn about two important and influential Maori people and why their work is still being recognised to this day.

HISTORY:

WHAKAPAPA

Whakapapa – Maori ancestors

The Māori people of Aotearoa are descendants of Polynesian peoples who had arrived by 1300 AD.

It is believed that during the 1200s a number of waka (canoes) made their way from east Polynesia, to land at various points on the coast of New Zealand.

Whakapapa – Maori ancestors

According to oral tradition, some canoes landed on the East Coast of the North Island.

Whangaparāoa, at the very eastern tip of the Bay of Plenty, is often referred to as the landing place of numerous canoes, including the famous Tainui and Te Arawa.

Early SettlementsWhat are middens?Middens are places where the remains of food (such as shellfish and bones), ash and charcoal from fires, and other traces of settlement can be found.

This midden at Waiotahi near Ōpōtiki is about 500 years old. Early Māori settlements were often coastal, and that food from the sea was an important part of the diet.

Archaeologists have begun work on revealing what lies inside a prehistoric midden on land occupied by Maori before the 1850s.

Early Settlements

Māori developed horticulture. With careful techniques, often involving the use of stone walls, and fire embers to warm soils, they succeeded in establishing several plants, especially the kumara.

Māori culture moved from being largely maritime to one which, in certain places, was dominated by trees and bird life.

Early Settlements

Early SettlementsThe large flightless bird (Moa), along with flightless geese, adzebill, swans and pelicans were hunted to extinction within 100 years.

Sealion and elephant seals were also wiped out.

Traditional CulturePre-European Māori culture was oral, and based on small autonomous sub-tribes living in valleys, harbours and other places.

Tribal histories have plenty of stories of armed conflict.

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

The Maori who first came to New Zealand had to adapt to colder weather.

Warmer clothes had to be made and food could no longer be grown and harvested all year round.

New horticultural techniques had to be developed and food had to be stored.

Many of the plants that were brought over to NZ did not survive the winter and had to be replaced with already existing plants.

New materials such as harakeke (flax) and pounamu (greenstone) were used.

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

FLAX

Flax was used to make clothing, weaved into kete (baskets), whariki (mats), ra (sails) and taura (rope).

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

GARDENING

To prepare an area for growing plants, the scrub was burnt and the ashes were used as fertiliser.

The ground was loosened with ko (pointed digging sticks).

Timo and ketu were used to weed the crops.

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

STONE TOOLS

Chips struck from blocks of obsidian (volcanic glass) gave sharp edged, ready-made knives.

Sandstone was used as a grindstone to give a smooth surface and sharpen blades.

Te Ao Kohatu – Maori Technology

Toki (adzes) and whao (chisels) were used for chopping and carving wood.

Pounamu (greenstone) was prized amongst all rocks because:• It was beautiful• It was rare• It was tough• It could be cut very thinly• It was difficult to chip

HISTORY:

EARLY EXPLORERS

With the arrival of the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and the British explorer James Cook in 1769, the European world made its entry into tribal New Zealand.

The Arrival

In 1642 Abel Tasman and his two ships, the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen, arrived in Golden Bay. This first encounter between Europeans and Māori did not go well, as a misunderstanding saw the deaths of some of Tasman’s crew and some Māori. Later, the area became known as “Murderers’ Bay.”

In the 1830s Christian missionary work began to affect Māori. Schools and mission stations were established in an attempt to bring the Christian message.

Some tribes became involved in trade with Europeans, exchanging potatoes, pigs, timber and flax for muskets.

The Early Period

The Early PeriodFrom around 1800, when Europeans began to settle, to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, there was major change in the Māori world.

Conflict between rivals grew, fuelled by the introduction of new technology – notably new modes of transport, literacy and, of course, the musket. This was the period of the wars between antagonistic tribes.

HISTORY:

THE TREATY OF WAITANGI

Let’s watch…

The Treaty of Waitangi

WHAT IS IT?The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of New Zealand.

It is an agreement or exchange of promises drawn up between representatives of the British Crown and representatives of Maori iwi and hapu. (Tribes and Sub-tribes).

It is named after the place in the Bay of Islands where the Treaty was first signed, on 6 February 1840, although it was signed all over the country.

The Treaty of Waitangi

WHAT IS IT?

The Treaty is in two languages.

The English version of the treaty stated that sovereignty was ceded to the Queen of England.

However, the Māori version said that the treaty guaranteed ‘tino rangatiratanga’ or chieftainship of New Zealand to Māori.

The Treaty of Waitangi

WHY WAS THE TREATY WRITTEN?

The British government was very concerned about land purchases from Maori by British and other Europeans.

Captain William Hobson was given the task of negotiating the sovereignty of New Zealand and setting it up as a British colony.

The Treaty of Waitangi

Maori were not opposed to the idea of a treaty. They believed that the sharing of authority in the land would enhance the mana* of the chiefs, and the country would be protected from acquisition by other foreign powers.

A kawana (governor) would control Europeans who were causing problems.

*mana means status

The Treaty of Waitangi

Maori believed that a treaty would bring:

• settlement,

• more markets for Maori produce,

• more goods to buy,

• and it would increase demand for Maori to provide services essential to settlement.

The Treaty of Waitangi

WHO SIGNED IT?The Treaty was first presented to a meeting of around 500 Maori at Waitangi, and it was signed by over 40 chiefs.

It was then taken to Waimate North and to a major meeting, where further signatures and marks were added.

There were about 50 meetings around the country over a 7-month period, where the Treaty was signed.

In the 1840s and more seriously in the 1860s war broke out as Māori sought to defend their land and local authority from a growing European population.

Tribal Warfare

New Tribal EconomiesThe period between 1840 and 1860 saw the rise of a new economy within tribal societies.

Many tribes took to growing crops and selling their produce to markets such as the new towns of Auckland and Wellington. Some even traded with markets in Australia.

The Treaty of Waitangi

IS THE TREATY STILL IMPORTANT TODAY?

HISTORY:

INFLUENTIAL MAORI

Ups and DownsDuring the early years of the 20th century, Māori society and culture reached its lowest point.

Introduced diseases had helped reduce the estimated numbers of Māori to under 50,000 – the lowest ever – in a total population of over 800,000.

However, this period also saw the rise of the most important Māori leaders of the 20th century, including Sir Āpirana Ngata, Sir Māui Pōmare, Te Puea Hērangi, Sir Peter Buck and others.

Apriana Ngata

The dynamic and inspirational leader Āpirana Ngata was determined to respond to the losses of the 19th century, and to bring about widespread rejuvenation of Māori people, society and culture.

Between 1900 and 1950, Ngata and his group began numerous initiatives and enterprises including:

•Maori entry into Parliament

•the formation of the Pioneer and Maori Battalions who saw action in both world wars

•the introduction of widespread health reforms

•the reform of land tenure arrangements.

Apriana Ngata

The 28th (Māori) Battalion established an international reputation for its courage and effectiveness as a fighting force during the Second World

War.

The Young Māori Party was formed in the late 1890s, serving as a vehicle for the invigoration of

the culture and of political influence.

He was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.

Ngata died in Waiomatatini on 14 July 1950. He is remembered for his great contributions to Māori culture and language.

His image appears on New Zealand's $50 note.

Apriana Ngata

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera PomareMaui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare dedicated himself to equipping his people to adapt and survive in the Pakeha world. He was able to do so because he was himself Maori and was well versed in Maori traditions.

Equally at home in the environment of the marae and the world of politics and administration, Pomare pointed the way which he hoped others would follow.

Pomare attended Te Aute College.

The headmaster, John Thornton, was dedicated to providing his pupils with an education that would equip them for professional careers and as leaders of their race.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

Thornton made the students familiar with James Pope's pamphlet Health for the Maori. In this pamphlet, Pope argued that Maori would be vulnerable to disease until they understood the rules of hygiene.

Thornton wanted the students to take this message back to their homes.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

In June 1889 Pomare and two of his friends, Reweti Kohere and Timutimu Tawhai, went round the villages of Hawke's Bay passing on the message that Maori had to improve their way of life.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

While at Te Aute, Seventh-day Adventist leaders in Napier suggested that he enter their college in Battle Creek, Michigan, and become a medical missionary.

His family had wanted him to study law and go into Parliament, but he felt he could do more for Maori as a doctor.

In 1893 he left New Zealand for Michigan.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera PomareHe had to raise money to pay for his education.

When Pomare arrived in the USA he advertised a lecture on the history, legends and culture of the Maori.

He was a confident public speaker and during his period in the USA he gave numerous lectures on this topic.

After completing his studies at Battle Creek, Pomare went on to the American Medical Missionary College at Chicago and graduated MD in 1899.

He spent some time at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, before he returned to New Zealand in August 1900.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera PomarePomare also worked behind the counter at a drugstore, supervised cotton picking in the South and served in kitchens, and travelled around the USA.

An outbreak of bubonic plague in Australia and the threat of its spreading to New Zealand had focused attention on the bad housing conditions in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and in Maori villages. 

Pomare was determined to do something about it.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

In March 1901 Maui Pomare was appointed Maori health officer. At first, the government supported his projects for health and social reform.

Pomare made it his mission to regularly visit villages, often travelling miles on foot to inspect the water supply, rubbish disposal and sanitary arrangements and to help the sick.

He was concerned about the health risks of deserted whare, and in three years burnt 1,900 of them.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

He developed the technique of using a microscope to show people the micro-organisms that inhabited impure water.

He also had slides of the various microbes to show to Maori who didn’t believe that the water they were drinking was harmful.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

Although Pomare believed that the decline in Maori numbers could be stopped by the correct medical methods, he also saw that a new population with European ancestry was emerging. Pomare considered that they would have the best characteristics of both races.

Unlike Apirana Ngata, who was concerned over the loss of Maori identity, Pomare welcomed intermarriage and Maori acculturation*.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera Pomare

* members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behaviours of another group.

Maui Wiremu Piti Naera PomarePomare was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1922 Birthday Honours.

He died in Los Angeles on 27 June 1930.