Re: Peter Dey ‘Evidence there Maori first here' (The Weekend Sun, November 7).
I suggest Peter ready Michael King's ‘The Penguin History of New Zealand'.
A group of German scientists published a paper proposing that Moriori most closely resembled the extinct Aboriginal people of Tasmania.
Percy Smith and Elsdon Best, 1915, quote: 'Moriori were an inferior and dark skinned people who occupied New Zealand prior to Maori and that they were subsequently partly abolished and driven out by more enterprising late comers who arrived in New Zealand as part of a fleet 1350 A.D”.
In 1791 the discovery of the Chatham Islands – on November 29, 1791 – William Broughton landed on the Chatham; they met a group of Moriori men. Moriori were a peaceful people who had generations earlier outlawed warfare. Tommy Solomon was the last living true blood Moriori 1884-1933.
D Meek, Tauranga City.
Posted: 12:56pm Fri 21 Nov, 2014
First here? Read to find out
12-Nov 12:54
Pāpāmoa Hills reopens after slip risk closure
12-Nov 11:45
Waihī mine campsite gets council tick
12-Nov 11:00
Council to keep fire depot, historic cottage
12-Nov 10:00
Tauranga youth secure climate project funding
12-Nov 08:03
Petition backs Bethlehem footpath link
12-Nov 06:00
Run the Runway raises $24k for rescue chopper
11-Nov 17:00
New faces join BOP Garden and Art festival trail
11-Nov 15:28
Person dies at Bay of Plenty sawmill
11-Nov 15:00
'Remarkable' Tauranga yachting coach wins award
11-Nov 12:23
Council staff back five-year licence for mine camp
11-Nov 09:41
Walk-in urgent healthcare clinic extends hours
11-Nov 06:00
Tauranga mum recounts 'terrifying' encounter
COMPETITIONS
4 comments
Twisted History
Posted on 21-11-2014 14:13 | By waxing
This is a classical example of perversion of an historical reference. King's book (p46) calls such claims "demonstrably wrong" and goes on (pp54 - 60)to dismiss Smith and Best's statements as having "no basis in history or ethnology". King refers (p54)to analysis of kiore DNA showing that sometime in the 14th or 15th century a single settlement of people migrated from New Zealand to the Chathams (where they subsequently developed their own culture in isolation). Subsequent human DNA has proven the links to early Maori. King finished his "Landfall" chapter on early settlement of New Zealand by saying (p60)that myths have been "sustained by a self-reinforcing circle of argument and delusion, of misperception and misrepresentation, that permitted no admission of evidence or common sense from outside the circle". Sums it all up really.
Wisechief
Posted on 23-11-2014 10:35 | By Wise Chief
Mr Dey and other dermally biased chaps hailing from Motherlands of Britain,South Africa, Netherlands etc.These doofs need to be educated that such false assumptions with regards to Moriori came to the fore via Governor Grey's writings courtesy of Wi Maihi (Tia-Tapuika)who gave Grey some very limited info of the 14th century repopulation effort via surviving Maori on Aotearoa via their relees throughout the Pacific Islands.This repop took place a few years after a massive Tsunami had wiped out much of the Coastal Populations leaving a few in land. The cause of the wipeout was a massive quake over Chile's way which sent huge waves here which also flattened the Pacific Rim populations should one care to check happened around the same time. Thus the so called first migration is in fact a resettlement issue and not a discovery settlement one as many detractors and white superiority proponents erringly believe.
Wise chief
Posted on 25-11-2014 10:31 | By robin bell
settlement or resettlement, does it really matter? Fact is Polynesian became Moriori or Maori end of story,well not quite. Robin Bell.
@ Robin
Posted on 25-11-2014 11:50 | By waxing
It matters to the extent that what we were taught in official school journals (that the Moriori were here first until slaughtered by the Maori or forced to move to the isolation of the Chathams) has now been clearly and scientifically proven wrong. But they certainly were both of Polynesian descent. The only people still using the separate Moriori claim assert they are a different race altogether. These people's sole aim is to oppose Maori status as the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.