L4 - Maori background pre-European colonisation of NZ

What is the history of when Maori first arrived in NZ?

Eastern Polynesians first arrived via several waves of migration around 1150AD, they navigated using the stars

What are the 2 cultural developments of Maori when arrived in NZ?

Archaic Eastern Polynesian and Classic Maori

What was involved in the evolution of Archaic Eastern Polynesian?

from around 1150AD→1350-1500AD, Maori were a nomadic hunter-gatherer society with few permanent year-round settlements, less war-like and evidence of peace traditions

What was the evolution of Classic Maori?

from 1350-1500AD→1800AD, Maori were agriculturalists and had place-based settlements, new forms of cultural expression (religion) and new adaptations e.g. pā (fortified villages), development of sophisticated tribal structures and roles, kaitiakitanga

What was the basic Maori agricultural developments?

adapting crops like kumara, taro, and yams to the new environment, domesticating native species e.g. fern root, karaka berries, medicinal and ceremonial plants

What was the introductory phase of Maori agricultural developments?

introduced species to NZ usually grown using tropical based protection systems

What is the experimental phase of Maori agricultural developments?

development of cold-protection systems, long term storage, cultivation of indigenous species and selection of cold-tolerant species

What is the systemic/stable phase of Maori agricultural developments?

production systems mature, species included in well-developed ceremonies and rituals, major contributions to pre-European Maori economy especially kumara and harakeke

When and how was kumara introduced?

most extensively used plant introduced during 3rd migration, propagation (new planting) occurred through the use of the root/tuber not cuttings, tapu used to manage cultivation areas once a field no longer produced, a new field was established by burning anything growing there, the ash from the fire was used as fertiliser for the new field, there was community based cultivation and kumara stored in pits to protect from animals, used ‘biocontrols’: caterpillars and these were controlled by seagulls

How was harakeke introduced and what was it used for?

most extensively used indigenous plant, excellent fibre properties for weaving, ropes, clothes, medicinal applications, fishing etc, able to selectively breed for leaf strength and fibre quality so over 50 different varieties

What was the impact of place based agriculture on the evolution of Classic Maori culture?

there was development of defensive structures→permanent + larger settlements→specialisation of roles→further cultural and economical developments, allowed protection of areas rich in resources

What is the hierarchy of people in Maori culture?

whanau, whanui/hapu (collections of closely related families), iwi (broad collection of many families), pan-iwi (across many tribes)

What was the impact of Maori beliefs and culture on agriculture?

specific Atua (gods) and deities which were often place/activity based, practice of Tapu (restriction) used, collective ‘I’ - central unit not the individual, formation of Tikanga such as maramataka which is the lunar calendar used for planting, harvesting, fishing and hunting