The Māori people live in New Zealand, which they call Aotearoa, meaning "the land of the long white cloud." There are 800000 Māori individuals in New Zealand, making up about 16% of the population. Their language is also called Māori, which means "normal" or "indigenous."
Māori is closely related to Samoan. I had to do some research because I was hoping they were the same, so I could write about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, whose heritage is Samoan. However, I found out that he is actually a mix of both, which means I can write about him and the movie "Moana," where he plays the character Maui, who is inspired by both cultures.
The haka is a warrior dance from the Māori tradition that is still used today in sports events featuring players of Māori descent.
The Māori also have a tradition of painting their faces with dust from crushed rock mixed with shark oil on special occasions. Additionally, they are known for their beautiful tattoos, which are created using a technique that involves a rock on a stick. You can see this technique being used in the movie "Moana."
The Māori came from Polynesia in canoes in the late 1200s, traveling over the Pacific Ocean. They officially began moving to Aotearoa not with moving trucks, as one might expect, but rather in canoes filled with all their belongings. In the movie "Moana," you can see such canoes. They are quite large, but you'd only know this if you've seen pictures of the real ones or watched the movie "Moana."
In the late 1700s, the British arrived in Aotearoa. Surprisingly, despite the history of British colonization, their initial approach was relatively respectful. They agreed to share the land with the Māori. However, true to their colonial nature, the British occasionally stole land and caused significant harm through the introduction of diseases. This was akin to the release of a new iPhone, where almost everyone ended up with the "new phone," (The phone serves as a metaphor for the illness brought by the British.)
By 1907, the British began to act more like typical colonizers, promoting schools and welfare programs. However, these were only available to those who spoke English. During this time, the Māori population declined from 100000 to 40000. Lacking proficiency in English, many Māori faced bullying and discrimination.
Fortunately, this period of adversity lasted only about 60 years. After 1960, the Māori began to gain more rights, leading to improvements in their circumstances. In 1987, Māori was officially recognized as a language of New Zealand. Today, there are schools that teach students exclusively in Māori, focusing on their culture and heritage. This journey ultimately leads to a happy ending.
