Māori people

Māori

Total population
approx. 750,000
Regions with significant populations
New Zealand	598,605 (2013 census)
Australia	155,000 (2011 est.)
United Kingdom	approx. 8,000
United States	< 3,500
Canada	1,305
Other regions	approx. 8,000
Languages
Māori, English
Religion
Christianity, Māori religions
Related ethnic groups
other Polynesian peoples, Austronesian peoples

The Māori (/ˈmaʊri/; Māori pronunciation: [ˈmaːɔɾi],  listen) are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. The Māori originated with settlers from eastern Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages at some time between 1250 and 1300 CE. Over several centuries in isolation, the Polynesian settlers developed a unique culture that became known as the "Māori", with their own language, a rich mythology, distinctive crafts and performing arts. Early Māori formed tribal groups, based on eastern Polynesian social customs and organisation. Horticulture flourished using plants they introduced, and later a prominent warrior culture emerged.

The arrival of Europeans to New Zealand starting from the 17th century brought enormous changes to the Māori way of life. Māori people gradually adopted many aspects of Western society and culture. Initial relations between Māori and Europeans were largely amicable, and with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the two cultures coexisted as part of a new British colony. Rising tensions over disputed land sales led to conflict in the 1860s. Social upheaval, decades of conflict and epidemics of introduced disease took a devastating toll on the Māori population, which fell dramatically. By the start of the 20th century, the Māori population had begun to recover, and efforts have been made to increase their standing in wider New Zealand society and achieve social justice. Traditional Māori culture has enjoyed a revival, and a protest movement emerged in the 1960s advocating for Māori issues.

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