maori origins

Maori legend says that the Maori came from "Hawaiki", the legendary homeland about 1000 years ago. When the Maori arrived in Aotearoa (New Zealand) they found a land quite different to tropical Polynesia. New Zealand was not only colder, but it possessed many volcanoes and huge snow capped mountains. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand and means Land of the long white cloud.

There are many theories about the origins of the Maori. some speculate that the island of Hawaiki could have been near Hawaii. The commonly accepted theory today, says that the Maori originated in China, and travelled via Taiwan, the Philippines to Indonesia, onto Melanesia and reached Fiji. From there to Samoa and on to the Marquesas and turned South West to Tahiti, thence to the Cook Islands and to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Maori CarvingSome believe that the Maori found Aotearoa probably by chance or mistake as they could have been blown off course in one of their navigations. But there is also evidence that the Maori had sophisticated ancient knowledge of the stars and ocean currents and this knowledge is carved in their "whare" (houses).

ADAPTED from http://www.virtualoceania.net/newzealand/culture/maori/