Tangata Whenua

the long version

A thousand years ago, the Polynesian ancestors of the Maori travelled to Aotearoa in giant sea-going canoes. Here they developed a rich and complex culture, with an artistic output unparalleled in the Pacific. In this easily understood introduction to things Maori, Don Stafford explains the origins of the Maori, their vast migrations, their arrival in this country and their development here in both pre- and post-European times. Photographs and drawings from historical and modern sources illustrate the importance of the family and the marae in Maori life, developments in health and education, and the recent revival of Maori language and art. Drawing on tradition, myth and history, Don Stafford answers the questions commonly asked by New Zealanders and visitors about the original human occupants of Aotearoa/New Zealand.