Story: Ideas about Māori origins

Theories of Māori origins

In the late 19th century and early 20th century various theories had Māori originating in South America, North America, India, Greece, Egypt and Israel, among other places. The large arrow shows the actual origin of the Māori people’s ancestors – around Taiwan. The smaller arrows show their migration through Melanesia and across the Pacific.

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‘Les Sauvages de la mer Pacifique’ (1804–1805)

How to cite this page:

K. R. Howe, 'Ideas about Māori origins - 1770s–1840s: early ideas', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/map/1585/theories-of-maori-origins (accessed 23 April 2024)

Story by K. R. Howe, published 8 Feb 2005

Comments

All these theories about

D (not verified)
19 February 2023

All these theories about where Maoris come from is absolutely driven by colonisers greed and need to make it look like Maori stole the land from another ethnicity that apparently Maori said existed in New Zealand before they did which then made it ok for Europeans to steal it from the Maori people. After the last eruption of Lake Taupo it makes sense that the Maori people wouldve evacuated New Zealand and travelled back through Polynesia stopping at Rapanui and south America then later returning to New Zealand when safe to as it would happen in our current day if lake Taupo erupted again ther'd be a evacuation and thats with all our modern day technology that we have now and thats why the crown has tried all it can and covered up common sense by making up shocking lies like the Maori people come from a made up ferry tail place called Hawaki that doesn't exist instead of New Zealand that absolutely exists and has tried to ignore that obviously there was a huge natural disaster just before they're trying to say the Maori people arrived "back in New Zealand" according to the crowns evidence. And what the crown did to the Maori people when they arrived is more shocking then what Hitler did in his rain of terror. Imagine the power of the gun that wouldve terrorised the aboriginal people of the beautiful garden of Eden that had no poisonous animals or insects, no big game hunting animals and the most stunning landscape the crown had every laid eyes on and a people that were peaceful untill they had to fight back against oppression from a crown focused greedy thieving human race that treated the Maori people worse then Hitler did his worst adversary. It's absolutely disgusting what happened in New Zealand. All of a sudden Maori didn't have a history and we they didn't know where they come from and even said there were people in New Zealand before them. Absolutely shocking and I can't believe how the crown forgot it was absolutely criminal what they did back in the day with the power of the gun and didn't move with the times and make something up that was atleast believable now instead of acting like they can still hold a gun to the Maori people and make them say whatever they tell you to and take whatever they want then tell you that you come from a place that doesn't exist and apparently you have no history. But that's what been held to ransom with a gun will do and even in the year 2023. That took Maori language away from them by making it illegal to speak their own language. Shocking! But what better way to silence a people and take their history away. I wonder how many other races around the world there are that technology still hasn't allowed research to trace where they originated from. Whens there's lies like this it alerts you to what their hiding. All I can say again and these monsters need to be brought to justice and it would be better for them to give up lies and admit to wrongs that happened in the past instead of trying to make a big cover up and carry on harbouring the guilt. Humans are humans, it doesn't matter our ethnicity. Be good to people and realise you can't get away with anything bad these days for example look what's happened in Ukraine. Same thing but not as bad when you compare what happened to the poor Maori people

Sad to see that all the red

Ra (not verified)
17 April 2021

Sad to see that all the red arrows pass straight past my whanau and the same skin as mine known as the ABORIGINES tangata whenua of the Dreamlands.. how rude .. typically whitewashed history of lies!

The Assyrian people may have

Rua Te Whiti Mai (not verified)
09 July 2010

The Assyrian people may have a connection with the Te Maari people. The Maori ancestors travelled in 2 x migrations; 1 x from the Middle east, through a number of countries, such as China, Japan to Nth America to Sth America across to the easter Islands, across to the Pacific Islands then down to New Zealand. The other came through India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia & Pacific Nations to NZ.

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Theories of Māori origins

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