When was the first settlement in New Zealand?
The islands of New Zealand were the last lands colonised by humans. The Polynesian voyagers are now believed to have arrived barely seven centuries ago. The first settlements of New Zealand are shrouded in myth and mystery.
Who was the first European to visit New Zealand?
Early visitor from the Netherlands. The first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He was on an expedition to discover a great Southern continent ‘Great South Land’ that was believed to be rich in minerals.
How did New Zealand get its name?
In 1642, while searching for this continent, Tasman sighted a ‘large high-lying land’ off the West Coast of the South Island. Abel Tasman annexed the country for Holland under the name of ‘Staten Landt’ (later changed to ‘New Zealand’ by Dutch mapmakers).
Why did European settlers settle in Waikato?
European settlement and population As the war was being fought, the government planned to confiscate Waikato lands and establish defended townships to deter Māori from reoccupying their territory. The chosen settlers were the Waikato militia – four regiments recruited in Otago and Australia in late 1863 with the promise of land grants.
Where did Europeans first settle in NZ?
Kerikeri, founded in 1822, and Bluff founded in 1823, both claim to be the oldest European settlements in New Zealand. Many European settlers bought land from Māori, but misunderstanding and different concepts of land ownership led to conflict and bitterness.
When was the first European settlement in New Zealand?
First contacts. By the time the first Europeans arrived, Māori had settled the land, every corner of which came within the interest and influence of a tribal (iwi) or sub-tribal (hapū) grouping. Abel Tasman was the first of the European explorers known to have reached New Zealand, in December 1642.
What did the first European settlers do in New Zealand?
Apart from convicts escaping from Australia and shipwrecked or deserting sailors seeking asylum with Māori tribes, the first Europeans in New Zealand were in search of profits—from sealskins, timber, New Zealand flax (genus Phormium), and whaling.
Who was the first European to arrive in NZ?
explorer Abel TasmanThe first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He was on an expedition to discover a great Southern continent 'Great South Land' that was believed to be rich in minerals.
Who lived in New Zealand before the Māori?
Before that time and until the 1920s, however, a small group of prominent anthropologists proposed that the Moriori people of the Chatham Islands represented a pre-Māori group of people from Melanesia, who once lived across all of New Zealand and were replaced by the Māori.
Who lived in New Zealand First?
However, this limited view does not reveal the whole story and credit for the initial discovery and exploration of New Zealand must go to the Māori, a group of Polynesian people who first settled some time between 1250 and 1300.
Who were the European settlers in New Zealand?
Though a Dutchman was the first European to sight the country, it was the British who colonised New Zealand.
Who was the first European to have contact with Māori?
18/12/2021 379 years ago today marks the first known encounter between Māori and Europeans. On this date in 1642, Abel Tasman's Dutch East India Company expedition anchored their two ships at Mohua (Golden Bay, South Island).
How did the Europeans get to NZ?
With the arrival of the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and subsequently the British explorer James Cook in 1769, the European world made its entry into tribal New Zealand.
What was NZ like before 1840?
Prior to 1840, it was mainly whalers, sealers, and missionaries who came to New Zealand. These settlers had considerable contact with Māori, especially in coastal areas. Māori and Pākehā (Europeans) traded extensively, and some Europeans lived among Māori.
What Dutch explorer was the first European to reach New Zealand?
explorer Abel TasmanEarly visitor from the Netherlands The first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He was on an expedition to discover a great Southern continent 'Great South Land' that was believed to be rich in minerals.
When did the British colonize New Zealand?
The Colony of New Zealand was a British colony that existed in New Zealand from 1841 to 1907. It was created as a Crown colony....Colony of New ZealandCommon languagesEnglish, Māori (none official)GovernmentCrown colony (1841–1852) Self-governing colony (1852–1907)British monarch34 more rows
Why did Europeans immigrate to New Zealand?
James Cook claimed New Zealand for Britain on his arrival in 1769. The establishment of British colonies in Australia from 1788 and the boom in whaling and sealing in the Southern Ocean brought many Europeans to the vicinity of New Zealand, with some settling.
Who colonized New Zealand?
History. The arrival of Europeans. Though a Dutchman was the first European to sight the country, it was the British who colonised New Zealand.
Who were the early European settlers?
Early European settlers. Prior to 1840, it was mainly whalers, sealers, and missionaries who came to New Zealand. These settlers had considerable contact with Māori, especially in coastal areas. Māori and Pākehā (Europeans) traded extensively, and some Europeans lived among Māori.
When did Tasman find New Zealand?
In 1642, while searching for this continent, Tasman sighted a ‘large high-lying land’ off the West Coast of the South Island. Abel Tasman annexed the country for Holland under the name of ‘Staten Landt’ (later changed to ‘New Zealand’ by Dutch mapmakers).
What is the oldest surviving industrial building in New Zealand?
Pompallier Mission, the historic printery/tannery/storehouse of the early Roman Catholic missionaries, Is the oldest surviving industrial building in New Zealand, while the town's Christ Church is the country's oldest surviving Anglican church.
What was the name of the township in 1844?
Kororareka was part of the Port of Russell , and after Russell (Okiato) became virtually deserted, Kororareka gradually came to be known as Russell as well. In January 1844, Governor Robert FitzRoy officially designated Kororareka as part of the township of Russell.
How many settlers did the New Zealand Company have?
The New Zealand Company was responsible for 15,500 settlers coming to New Zealand. Company prospectuses did not always tell the truth, and often colonists would only find out the reality once they had arrived in New Zealand. This private colonisation project was part of the reason that the British Colonial Office decided to speed up its plans for the annexation of New Zealand. Edward Gibbon Wakefield (1796–1862) exerted a far-reaching influence by helping create the New Zealand Company. Due to his conviction and three-year imprisonment for abducting an heiress, his role in forming the New Zealand Company was necessarily out of sight from the public. Wakefield's colonisation programmes were over-elaborate and operated on a much smaller scale than he hoped for, but his ideas influenced law and culture, especially his vision for the colony as the embodiment of post- Enlightenment ideals, the notion of New Zealand as a model society, and the sense of fairness in employer-employee relations.
Who was the first European to circumnavigate New Zealand?
British explorer James Cook , who reached New Zealand in October 1769 on the first of his three voyages, was the first European to circumnavigate and map New Zealand.
What was the New Zealand Constitution Act?
In response to increased petitioning for self-governance from the growing number of British settlers, the British Parliament passed the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, setting up a central government with an elected General Assembly (Parliament) and six provincial governments.
How did the Great Depression affect New Zealand?
Like many other countries, New Zealand suffered in the Great Depression of the 1930s, which affected the country via its international trade, with steep decreases in farm exports subsequently affecting the money supply and in turn consumption, investment and imports. The country was most affected around 1930–1932, when average farm incomes for a short time dipped below zero, and the unemployment rate peaked. Though actual unemployment numbers were not officially counted, the country was affected especially strongly in the North Island.
What was the Treaty of Waitangi?
One of the few extant copies of the Treaty of Waitangi. In 1839 the New Zealand Company announced plans to buy large tracts of land and to establish colonies in New Zealand. This and the increased commercial interests of merchants in Sydney and London spurred the British Government to take stronger action.
What is the oldest building in New Zealand?
The Mission House at Kerikeri is New Zealand's oldest surviving building, having been completed in 1822. European ( Pākehā) settlement increased through the early decades of the 19th century, with numerous trading stations established, especially in the North Island.
How long has New Zealand been around?
The history of New Zealand ( Aotearoa) dates back approximately 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture. Like other Pacific cultures, Māori society was centred on kinship links and connection with the land but, unlike them, it was adapted to a cool, temperate environment rather than a warm, tropical one.
When did the Europeans come to New Zealand?
Despite being known to Europeans since Tasman‘s 1642 voyage, none returned to New Zealand for over a century following their discovery, with the next chapter of European involvement coming in the year 1769 with the arrival of British explorer Captain James Cook.
When did the Maori arrive in New Zealand?
Māori Discovery and Settlement. The first human arrival to the islands of New Zealand dates back to roughly 1320-1350 AD, with settlers from eastern Polynesia arriving on the north island, naming this new land ‘Aotearoa‘ in the Maori language. These settlers, which some believe were led by a legendary chief known as ‘Kupe’, ...
What does the name Maori mean?
Curiously enough, before the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, the Māori people would rarely identify by this name. Instead the name ‘Māori’, meaning normal was used in opposition to the European settlers, named ‘Pakeha‘ in the Maori language. Maori wood carving.
How many members are there in a Maori tribe?
Māori society was structured around the tribe or ‘iwi‘ which formed the principal political bodies in Maori culture, these tribes were subdivided into smaller core units known as ‘hapu‘ which were genealogically related family groups, generally ranging between 50-170 members.
How did Europeans influence Maori?
The main effect the Europeans had on the Maori at this point was the proliferation of muskets in tribal warfare, known as the ‘Musket Wars’. The tribes who possessed these weapons enjoyed huge advantages, with this trend persisted until the mid 19th century, at which point the sheer proliferation of muskets across the islands having fostered a new balance of power, with most tribes having access to firearms. The other impact of European settlement during this period was the introduction of Christian missionaries, with approximately 20 missionary stations being established by the year 1840. Not only did this have the effect of spreading European religious beliefs to the local Maori, but it also brought with it knowledge of western agricultural practices as well as the written language.
What is the name of the island in Tasmania?
Tasman can be known today as the namesake for the nearby Tasman Sea, as well as for the island of Tasmania. Tasman was searching for the mythical southern continent of ‘ Terra Australis ‘ on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, believed to be rich in minerals and treasures.
Why did Tasman name the islands?
Initially Tasman thought he had succeeded, claiming the islands for the Dutch Republic, naming them ‘Staten Landt’ in honour of the States General, though this was later changed by map makers to ‘New Zealand’, after the Dutch province of Zeeland.
What was the first settlement in New Zealand?
The Discovery and First Settlement of Aotearoa New Zealand. The islands of New Zealand were the last lands colonised by humans. The Polynesian voyagers are now believed to have arrived barely seven centuries ago. The first settlements of New Zealand are shrouded in myth and mystery. The part that creation stories and genealogies play in Maori ...
When did the Maori arrive in New Zealand?
Today, the best scientific studies indicate that the first Maori arrived in New Zealand in the late 13th century. There are indications of human activity immediately above the ash layer thrown out by the Tarawera eruption of 1314 ± 12 years (the Kaharoa ash), but no artefacts or other evidence below it.
Where did the Maoris Come From?
Archaeological evidence now points to the Southern Cook and Society Islands as the homelands of the first Maori people. This is based on female DNA sampling and artefacts found at Wairau Bar that are much like those of the islands to the northeast.
How many canoes did the Maori have?
His Maori colonisers all arrived on a ‘great fleet’ of seven canoes, as if colonisation was one big coordinated project. According to Smith, the ancestral leader Kupe visited New Zealand around 750AD, followed 300 years later by Toi and Whatonga, who found it inhabited by primitive people – the Moriori.
What was the last land mass settled by humans?
Whatever current thinking is on New Zealand’s original habitation, there is no doubt that Aotearoa was the last inhabitable land mass settled by humans on their great trek out of Africa. New Zealand’s national tourism organisation markets the country with the catchphrase – Welcome to the Youngest Country on Earth.
When was the Wairau Bar discovered?
There numerous human bones have been unearthed, the oldest dated to around 1300. Analysis of buried pollen shows significant changes in vegetation also around 1300, but nothing that could be attributed to humans before that time.
Who set about developing a history of early New Zealand that would prevail in the general view as late as the 1970 answer?
Percy Smith set about developing a history of early New Zealand that would prevail in the general view as late as the 1970’s. Smith’s ideas have since proven to be fanciful and largely wrong.
Where did the Waikato people come from?
Waikato’s first non-Māori inhabitants were mostly from England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia. Between 1840 and 1890 the proportion of Irish-born settlers was high compared with other New Zealand regions. Italians, Indians and Chinese also had longstanding communities in the region. Immigration in the 20th century brought people from other European, Pacific and Asian countries. A Somali community grew in Hamilton from the 1990s.
What was the fourth largest city in New Zealand?
In post-war years Hamilton remained dominant in the region, and by 1991 it had overtaken Dunedin as New Zealand’s fourth-largest city. The nearby centres of Te Awamutu and Cambridge grew strongly, becoming dormitory towns for workers commuting to Hamilton.
How many acres were there in Waikato?
Military settlers were expected to defend Waikato towns in the event of a Māori attack, in return for grants of a town acre (0.4 hectares) and at least 50 country acres (20 hectares). Once the country sections were surveyed, the settlers’ military pay was cut, and food rations continued for only a year. Survival was so difficult that many left before they gained freehold title to their land on completion of three years’ service.
What did the government do to protect the Waikato?
As the war was being fought, the government planned to confiscate Waikato lands and establish defended townships to deter Māori from reoccupying their territory. The chosen settlers were the Waikato militia – four regiments recruited in Otago and Australia in late 1863 with the promise of land grants.
How many people live in Waikato in 2013?
In 2013 the population of the Waikato region was 305,265 – 7% of the national total. The Waikato district was most highly populated, with 63,381 people, followed by Waipā with 46,668, Matamata–Piako with 31,536 and South Waikato with 22,074. Nearly half of Waikato’s people lived in Hamilton.
Overview
Russell, known as Kororareka in the early 19th century, was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island.
History and culture
Before the arrival of the Europeans, Russell was inhabited by Māori because of its salubrious climate and the abundance of food, fish and fertile soil. Russell was then known as Kororareka, and was a small settlement on the coast. The early European explorers like Britain’s James Cook (1769) and France’s Marion du Fresne (1772) have remarked that the area was quite prosperous.
Demographics
Russell covers 3.28 km (1.27 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 800 as of June 2021, with a population density of 244 people per km .
Russell had a population of 762 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 60 people (8.5%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 24 people (−3.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 339 households, comprising 372 males and 390 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per fe…
Economy
Russell is now mostly a "bastion of cafés, gift shops and B&Bs". Pompallier Mission, the historic printery/tannery/storehouse of the early Roman Catholic missionaries, Is the oldest surviving industrial building in New Zealand, while the town's Christ Church is the country's oldest surviving Anglican church. The surrounding area also contains many expensive holiday homes, as well as Ne…
Education
Russell School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 68 as of March 2022. The school opened in 1892.
See also
• Pompallier Mission
External links
• Russell (a local page about the town)
• Russell Info (tourism information from bayofislands.net)
Overview
The history of New Zealand (Aotearoa) dates back to between 1320 and 1350 CE, when the main settlement period started, after it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture. Like other Pacific cultures, Māori society was centred on kinship links and connection with the land but, unlike them, it was adapted to a cool, temperate environment rather t…
Early contact periods
The first Europeans known to reach New Zealand were the crew of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who arrived in his ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen. Tasman anchored at the northern end of the South Island in Golden Bay (he named it Murderers' Bay) in December 1642, and sailed northward to Tonga following an attack by local Māori, Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri. Tasman sketched secti…
Māori arrival and settlement
New Zealand was first settled by Polynesians from Eastern Polynesia. Genetic and archaeological evidence suggests that humans emigrated from Taiwan via southeast Asia to Melanesia and then radiated eastwards into the Pacific in pulses and waves of discovery which gradually colonised islands from Samoa and Tonga all the way to Hawaii, the Marquesas, Easter Island, the Society Isla…
Colonial period
The Colony of New South Wales was founded by 1788. According to the future Governor, Captain Arthur Phillip's amended Commission, dated 25 April 1787 the colony of New South Wales included "all the islands adjacent in the Pacific Ocean within the latitudes of 10°37'S and 43°39'S" which included most of New Zealand except for the southern half of the South Island. In 1825 with Van Die…
Dominion and Realm
New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining the proposed Federation of the Australian colonies, attending the 1891 National Australia Convention in Sydney. Interest in the proposed Australian Federation faded and New Zealand decided against joining the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. New Zealand instead changed from being a colony to a separate "Dominion" in 1907, equal in status …
Post-war era
Labour remained in power after the Second World War and in 1945, Labour Prime Minister Peter Fraser played an important role in the establishment of the United Nations, of which New Zealand was a founding member. However, domestically Labour had lost the reforming zeal of the 1930s and its electoral support ebbed after the war. After Labour lost power in 1949, the conservative …
21st century
In the 21st century, international tourism was a major contributor to the New Zealand economy, until it was brought almost to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the service sector more generally has grown. Meanwhile, the traditional agricultural exports of meat, dairy and wool have been supplemented by other products such as fruit, wine and timber as the econom…
See also
• Bibliography of New Zealand history
• Europeans in Oceania
• History of Oceania
• Military history of New Zealand