History of the Maori people.
The first people to settle in New Zealand came from the Polynesian islands north of New Zealand.
When the Maori people first arrived in New Zealand , they named it Aotearoa
( a-o-tear-o-a ) , which means ‘ Land Of The long White Cloud. ‘
This was because there was a cloud or haze over the bay where the Maoris boats first landed.
Legends tell us that a man named ‘Kupe ‘ led the Maori people to New Zealand. These stories also tell of the fighting that continued for years amongst the different Maori tribes over Land.
In 1614 , Abel Tasman , a European explorer from Holland , sailed into New Zealand waters. The Maoris would not allow Tasman and his crew to land. They then murdered 4 of Tasman’s crew. Tasman was forced to sail down the coast of New Zealand.
From 1800 , there was a lot of fighting over land and property between the Maori people and the new settlers who arrived from Europe. however, they now live peacefully in New Zealand and respect each other’s way of Life.
Captain James Cook , a British explorer , Drew a map of New Zealand which is very close as the map we use today.
He landed in New Zealand in 1796.
Some historians believe the Maori ancestors came from China others believe they came from America as the Kumara (sweet potato) which was their main food originally comes from South America.
