And maori are not indigenous!
New research by Janet Wilmshurst from NZ's Landcare Research shows maori first settled here between 1210 and 1385 AD! This is poles apart from maori oral history, which tells tall tales of the Great Fleet arriving in 800 AD.
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| Which is The REAL Great Fleet? |
AUT Professor of History, Paul Moon, says the new evidence is based on 1400 radiocarbon dates from 47 Pacific Islands. Moon says people need to accept maori oral histories are open to interpretation, and may not be entirely accurate: "If maori reached NZ just 300 years before the first Europeans, people might also reconsider the idea of maori being indigenous. It could be interpreted as a different type of “indigenous” from the sort that applies to peoples who inhabited countries exclusively for thousands of years...this is something that might have to be faced."
He says the study's implications could also impact on the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal, which has repeatedly accepted evidence of a much earlier settlement date. Ironically, the mid-fourteenth century date for maori arrival was widely accepted up until the 1950s, when academics challenged it on the basis of maori geneology, and shunted the date back by hundreds of years. Now it looks like it'll have to be dragged forward again!
And at the same time, let's examine whether non-maori can claim for wrong-doings to their ancestors! Our financially-beleaguered country can thus claw back excessive payments to iwi by the Tribunal - whose judgements may be based on information now nothing more than the shifting sands of a land hooked by a mythical islander's grandmother's jawbone...yea, right.
2 comments:
Nice one! Love your snse of humour!
Before the Maori arrived in NZ, the Moriori had already been living here but were pushed out to the Chatham Islands to hide from being killed/eaten further by Maori. There is also some archeological evidence that European-descended Caucasian inhabitants lived in small settlements in NZ before Maori ever arrived, but they were eventually wiped out by Maori. There was also a tribal group in NZ called the Waitaha who were of Melanesian descent from the W.Pacific. This tribal group was also killed/eaten by Maori invaders but the ones who survived ran to hide in Fiordland/the Southern Alps. A branch of them lived there until the 1940s-60s (BTW Australian aboriginals are also stated to be of Melanesian descent).
There are several reasons why the truth of what actually happened in NZ remains hidden to this day by the govt & Maori. My guess would be primarily because of land settlements/rights ($$$) and the Treaty of Waitangi (which BTW excludes Moriori people). I’m sharing this info because people from outside of NZ assume that Maori are “First Nation” or the “aboriginal people of NZ” but this is not true. Maori are said to have come originally from Tahiti/E.Polynesia. Until further evidence can be revealed (and many people have tried), Maori have unduly/unfairly been given ultimate rights as the “aboriginals or First Nation” people of NZ. I also must mention that 70% of Maori have Melanesian blood in them, due to inbreeding with Waitaha and perhaps Moriori when these groups were invaded, killed and taken as slaves (& also inbreeding with Pacific Islanders or Aus. Aboriginals). Researchers state that Moriori were of E.Polynesian ancestry but because so many were killed and eaten by Maori, nobody really knows. However having a bit of insight into Australian Aboriginal culture (mainly artwork/craft) I would like to mention that Moriori did bark sculptures on trees as a tradition & so have the Aboriginals of Australia.
All-in-all, the terms Native, First Nation or Aboriginal should be freely used as indicated by any group of peoples who were the first inhabitants of a continent or specific region within a continent. However unless there is scientific evidence that can show that a group of people or a tribe was indeed the first inhabitants, and that they were never invaded or taken over by other inhabitants of different ethnic lineage, then I do not believe it is fair to give any indigenous group of people or tribe the title of Native, First Nation or Aboriginal. Perhaps this is why many people in NZ refer to Maori as “indigenous” rather than “First Nation” or “Native.” Only those outside of NZ who are not aware of the issues that I have just mentioned assume Maori are the “Native,” “Aboriginal” or “First Nation” people of NZ. I have also seen this in research from people outside of NZ working with Maori or referring to them. I suggest that anyone doing research about Maori take a note of this information and realize it would not be fair to the Moriori (even only if a few groups remain) or to Waitaha - although many of them have settled in claiming their Maori descent to cash in on land or settlements claims with Maori. However those who know the truth will not compromise their identity by partaking in these settlements with Maori. One has to really appreciate the individuals that do this and this attitude is shared among many Sioux Indians who refuse to cash-in on their ancestral land or identity. Since NZ is not the true ancestral land of Maori, many Maori have no problem cashing in on whatever they can with the NZ Govt or in ruining the ocean floor by continuing to deep sea troll (SEALORDS) severely damaging & killing marine creatures & plants. If Maori were First Nation they would have an affinity with their environment!
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