maori

The Indigenous ethnicity of New Zealand. Colonised by the British from the 1760s onward, they have been politically, economically and socially marginalised. This is marginilisation is perpetuated by institutionalised racist views such as the first five entries of the term 'Maori' in UrbanDictionary, (those people should get a life - we are all human beings here,stop being so God Damn racist, if you hate us so much than leave NZ) Maori have a very distinct culture, and their values on law and living are almost contradictory to that of the colonisers. Maori have communal and collective way of life as opposed to the western ideology of every man for himself. The Treaty of Waitangi (ceding of sovereignty) in 1840 was signed in two different versions, between Maori and the Crown. The different versions are the basis for Maori and Pakeha conlict in the present day - they each imply something different. Ancient Maori were exceptional seafarers, navigators and astrologers, originating in south east asia, and travelling by canoe (waka) through the Pacific Islands (Tahiti and the Cook Islands) through to New Zealand 1700 years ago. Colonisation and loss of land bought along a substantial economic loss.