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A bit about our history and culture

New Zealand is a very young country – one of the last of the major landmasses to be discovered.  We have a fascinating history that is intertwined with our Maori and European heritage.

The Maori people are of Polynesian descent, their ancestors settling at different points on the coast around the thirteenth century.  On your travels around New Zealand, you will find many historic Maori sites.  A visit to one of our Maori attractions like the Maori Village in Rotorua is a good place to hear the legends of the Maori people and learn about their history and culture.

The first Europeans to arrive in New Zealand were the explorers.  The Dutchman, Abel Tasman discovered the west coast of the South Island in 1642 and named it “Nieuw Zeeland”.  One of our most beautiful coastal National Parks is named after him - Abel Tasman National Park – located at the Northern end of the South Island.  His men had some ‘misunderstandings’ with the local Maori tribe in what is now known as Golden Bay, and as a result, Abel Tasman never set foot on New Zealand soil.

The British explorer, Captain James Cook, mapped the New Zealand coastline over three expeditions to the country.  In 1769, his first sighting of land was at ‘Young Nick’s Head’ near Gisborne.  You will find many places on your travels around the coast that are named by him and his crew, as well as statues and plaques commemorating his visits to the country.  Cook was responsible for claiming New Zealand for the British Crown resulting in New Zealand becoming a British Colony, although it would be another 50 years before the European settlers would start to arrive.

The first European settlers were mainly whalers, sealers and missionaries that settled in coastal areas and traded with the Maori people.  The biggest settlement was at Russell in the Bay of Islands.  It became known as the ‘Hellhole of the Pacific’ – with the introduction of guns and an absence of any authority, lawlessness became rife.  Guns were traded with the Maori and the tribal warfare and conflict over land became deadly.  Britain came to the conclusion that it was time to annexe the country in order to restore law and order. 

In 1838, William Hobson was sent from Britain to persuade the Maori to cede sovereignty to the British Crown and on 6 February 1840, Hobson and 45 Maori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi.  This was the founding document of New Zealand.  It established British Law in New Zealand whilst guaranteeing Maori authority over their land and culture.  The Treaty has presented many problems of interpretation over the years resulting in treaty settlements still being negotiated today.

After the signing of the Treaty there was an influx of British settlers with the British owned ‘New Zealand Company’ creating settlements at Canterbury, Nelson, Otago, Wellington, Wanganui and New Plymouth.  The ‘gold rush’ days of the late 1800s also brought colonial influence to Otago and the west coast of the South Island and areas of the North Island.  Today you can follow the ‘heritage trails’ in many towns and cities across the country and get a feel of what it was like to be an early pioneer and settler in New Zealand.

Through World Wars I and II, New Zealanders had a strong sense of loyalty to the ‘Motherland’ and fought for ‘the cause’.  After Britain joined the EEC in the 1970’s, New Zealanders felt they had been ‘cut adrift’ with the loss of a guaranteed market for wool, meat and dairy products.  This created a turning point for the country and caused a shift of attitude – one where New Zealanders began to recognise their own identity.

Today, New Zealand is a multi-cultural society developing and consolidating its own proud identity on the world stage.

If you would like to learn more about New Zealand history – take a look at

 www.nzhistory.net.nz
Information on New Zealand history