new zeeland

history introduction
while new zealand is a relatively young country, it has a rich and fascinating history, reflecting both our maori and european heritage. amazing maori historic sites and taonga treasures, some dating back almost a thousand years, are a contrast to many beautiful colonial buildings. a walk around any new zealand city today shows what a culturally diverse and fascinating country we have become.
first arrivals
first maori were the first inhabitants of aotearoanew zealand meaning land of the long white cloud. after arriving from their ancestral polynesian homeland of hawaiki, probably about 1000 years ago, they set up a thriving society based on the iwi tribe, which flourished for hundreds of years.

arriving in aotearoa
according to maori, the first explorer to reach new zealand was kupe. using the stars and ocean currents as his navigational guides, he ventured across the pacific on his waka hourua...