"Manaakitatanga" New Zealand by seagoingJLW

Aotearoa is what the Maori call New Zealand. They were the first inhabitants of "The Land of the Long White Cloud." They came from Hawaiki over 1,000 years ago, arriving in waka hourua (voyaging canoes.) Today then make up over 14% of the population.
%cgHaere e raro, te kahu korako.
When travelling always join a chief's party and you will fare well.%c*

History

The Polynesian navigator, Kupe, is believed to have been the first to sight New Zealand around 950 AD. Then in 1350 AD seven great migratory canoes called whaka sailed from Hawaiki to New Zealand. They called it Aotearoa which means Land of the Long White Cloud.

They had their own unique legends and gods such as Tane Mahuta (God of the Forest) and Tangaroa (God of the Sea.)

The first European to see New Zealand was a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. In 1642 while searching for a great southern continent, he sighted a "large, high-lying land" off the west coast of the South Island. He annexed the country for Holland under the name "Staten Landt."

Tasman's first contact with the Maori was at the top of the South Island at Golden Bay. Two waka canoes came out to meet him. He sent men in a small boat which was rammed by one of the waka. The ensuing skirmish caused the death of four of Tasman's men.

The Dutch East India Company, Tasman's employers, considered the voyage to New Zealand unsuccessful since there were "No treasures or matters of great profit."

Captain James Cook, who was also looking for the great Southern continent, also reached New Zealand. His cabin boy, Young Nick, sighted land near Gisborne in 1769. That piece of land is now called "Young Nick's Head."

Cook successfully mapped the country and gathered information about the Maori and the flora and fauna.

Prior to 1840, it was mainly whalers, sealers and missionaries who arrived. There were more than 2,000 Pakeha (Europeans) living in New Zealand, mostly in the Bay of Islands. In 1833, because of lawlessnes among traders and settlers, the British government appointed James Busby as British Resident.

In 1835, since the French wanted to trade and settle, the British Crown signed a Declaration of Independence with 34 northern Maori Chiefs declaring New Zealand an independent state under British rule.

In 1840 Britain sent Captain William Hobson to New Zealand as Lieutenant Governor. He was to acquire Sovereignty of New Zealand through a treaty with the native Maori Chiefs.

On February 6, 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi established British law in New Zealand but guaranteed Maori authority over their land and culture. Over 500 Maori Chiefs signed it.

After this there was a great increase in migration to New Zealand. Colonial settlement was largely based on the ideas of Edward Gibbon Wakefield who believed that the settlements should be modelled on the structures of British society.

As more migrants arrived and more land was need ed, there were more disputes with the Maori. eventually causing a full scale war in the Northland during the 1840s.

In 1845 a Maori chief, Hone Heke, headed an uprising on the North Island. This was the start of the Maori Wars.
The newly appointed gorvernor, Sir George Grey, defeated Hone Heke in 1846, but the Maoris still refused to sell their land to pakehas.

Several Maori tribes joined together in 1858. They chose Chief Te Wherowhero as their king leading to war breaking out again in 1860. The fighting continued off and on through much of the North Island until 1872 when the Maori leader, Te Kooti, was forced to retreat. During this time the British seized Maori lands for public use.

The loss of the land, as well as continued deaths from disease saw the population of Maori dwindle down to only about 40,000 by 1900.

After World War II New Zealand joined SEATO (South-East Asia Treaty Organization) and the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, United States) Pact.

With our host, Kiwi (pam)

New Zealand, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, is located in Oceania, southeast of australia. Its area totals 268,680 sq km (including the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands and Kermadec Islands.) It has a coastline of 15,134 km. the terrain is predominently mountainous with some large coastal plains.

The climate in the north is sub-tropical and the south is temperate with sharp regional contrasts. The warmest months are December, January, and February when the average maximum temperature ranges from 20 to 30 degrees C. The coldest months are June, July and August when the average maximum temperature is 10 to 15 degrees C.

The population as of July 2001 was 3,864,129, with about 80% living in cities.

New Zealand Europeans make up 74.5% of the population today with 9.7% Maori, 4.6% other European, 3.8% Pacific Islander, and 7.4% Asian and others. the religious breakdown is 24% Anglican, 18% Presbyterian, 15% Roman Catholic, 5% Methodist, 2% Baptist, 3% other Protestant, and 33% unspecified or none.

English is the official language. Maori is also spoken.

Electricity is 230/240 Volts, 50 hertz. Most hotels provide 110 volts sockets for shavers only.

New Zealand is 12 hours ahead of GMT, with summer Daylight Saving (first Sunday in October until the thrid Sunday of the following March) making it GMT + 13.

Maori Phrases

Kia ora...Hello
Tena Koe ( or for plural koutou)...Greetings to you.
Haere mai...Welcome
Kei te pehea koe?...How's it going?
Kei te pai...Good
Haere ra...Farewell
Hei konei ra...See you later

• Pros:Extremely intersting and beautiful countryside
• Cons:Not very urban for a city girl like me
• In a nutshell:Gorgeous, but still evolving