Maori
Maori People
• Native/indigenous people of New Zealand
• Aotearoa – Long White Cloud
• Unique Culture, Language, Mythology, Crafts,
Performing Arts
• Maori means: ‘Normal’, ‘Natural’ or ‘Ordinary’
• In 2010, there were an estimated 660,000 Māori in New
Zealand, making up roughly 15% of the population.
• Second-largest ethnic group in New Zealand, after
European New Zealanders (“Pakeha").
• Over 100,000 Māori living in Australia.
Origins – Where did they come
from?
• First settlers in NZ
• They arrived in
New Zealand from
Eastern Polynesia
in several waves
some time before
1300 CE
*CE – Common Era = AD
Maori and Europeans
• Europeans arrived in the 17th Century.
• Big changes for Māori people who adopted aspects of
Western society and culture. Initial relations between
Māori and Europeans were amicable.
• The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 - the two cultures
coexisted as part of a new British colony.
• Maori Land Wars - a series of armed conflicts that took
place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872. The
wars were fought over a number of issues, the most
prominent concerning Maori land being sold to the settler
population.
Modern Challenges
• Although Māori make up only 14% of the population, they
make up almost 50% of the prison population.
• Māori have higher unemployment-rates than other cultures
resident in New Zealand.
• Māori have higher numbers of suicides than non-Māori.
• Only 47% of Māori finish school with qualifications higher
than NCEA Level One (15years old – 4 ESO)
• Māori suffer more health problems, including higher levels of
alcohol and drug abuse, smoking and obesity.
• Māori also have considerably lower life-expectancies: Māori
males 69.0 years vs. non-Māori males 77.2 years; Māori
females 73.2 yrs vs. non-Māori females 81.9 years.
• Māori women and children are more likely to experience
domestic violence than any other ethnic group.
Maori Language
• Te Reo Maori
• Official Language in NZ
• 1880s: Authorities forbade the use of Māori in
schools
• Native Speakers: the number of fluent adult
speakers fell to about 10,000 in 1995.
• 157,110 New Zealand residents claimed they
could converse in Māori about everyday things,
in the 2006 census
• Basic Maori is taught in Primary School
Let’s Learn some Maori!
Numbers
1
tahi
2
rua
3
toru
4
wha
5
rima
6
ono
7
whitu
8
waru
9
iwa
10
tekau
Kia ora
Tenā Koe
Tēna Koutou
Haere rā
Ka kite anō
Mōrena
Haere Mai
Nau Mai
Hello / Thank you
Formal greeting to one person
Formal greeting to many people
Goodbye (from a person staying)
See you again (informal goodbye)
Good morning!
Welcome, enter
Welcome
Maori Culture - Marae
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Marae – Centre of Maori Community Life
Welcomes, Celebrations, Funerals, Weddings, reunions
hongi
Maori Culture - Food
• Hangi
• Kumara
Haka
• War Dance
Kapa Haka
• Groups
• Cultural items/dances/songs
• Poi/cotume
Maori Actors
• Keisha Castle-Hughes – Star wars Episode III,
Legend of the Seeker, Whale rider
• Cliff Curtis – The piano, Collaterol Damage,
Sunshine, Fracture, Die hard 4, push, the last
air bender
• Lawrence Makoare – LOTR, The hobbit (great
goblin)
• Temuera Morrison – Speed 2, Star wars
episode II/III, Spartacus, Green Lantern
Movies
• Boy
• Whale Rider
• Once were warriors
Questions!
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Who are the Maori people?
How do you say New Zealand in Maori?
What does the word ‘Maori’ mean?
Where do Maori people come from?
What were the initial relations like between Maori and
Europeans?
• What was the main issue fought over in the Maori Land
Wars?
• Why does the New Zealand flag have a Union Jack?
• Name 4 modern day challenges for Maori people
Questions Cont.
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Is Maori taught in New Zealand schools?
Is Maori an official language of New Zealand?
How do you say ‘hello’ in Maori?
How do you say ‘good morning’ in Maori?
Can you count to 10 in Maori?
How do Maori people greet each other?
What is a ‘Hangi’?
Why do the All blacks perform the ‘Haka’ before
a game?
• Can you name any movies with Maori actors?