BCNumismatics
Moneytane
Yes I love that diversity. I am Maori myself, they are a Polynesian people native to New Zealand.
Maoris are also native to the Cook Islands as well.
Aidan.
They are close relatives, but not exactly the same. Maori is a Polynesian word meaning “normal”, “typical” and the use of it as a people name was done by Pakeha (Whites for non New Zealanders). Although native New Zealanders were called Maori as far back as Captain Cook, the term was only applied by the government in 1947, before then Maori were called Natives, Aborigines and other less salubrious names. Maori in prehistoric times saw themselves as separate tribes and referred to each other as tangata whenua (People of the land), other tribes were manuhiri (Visitors) or tauiwi (Late comers) a term also applied to Pakeha. Tribal areas were called “Rohe”. Encounters in early days were for trade and resources but by 1600, this was warring parties (taua), although alliances between groups also happened.
The arrival of the White man saw the end of this system and one of “Us versus them” started and all the tribes were lumped together as one people - Natives or Maori, and they were divided into the good tribes (Kupapa - supported the crown) and bad tribes (Hauhau - against the crown) and thus we get what we got now.
Maori came to NZ from the Cook Islands, but possibly also straight from Tahiti and the Marquesas (I have a Masters degree in this stuff, so unless you have a PHD in Anthroplogy - DO NOT CORRECT ME!!!). Cook Islands too was a European era name and the people on these islands also called themselves “tagata maori” (Ordinary people) who all lived in village areas called “Tapere” and “Vaka”. Rarotonga, Mang'aia and Atiutaki were bigger islands and thus had several Vaka, smaller islands were a separate vaka.
Cook Islanders are East Polynesians like Maori, but their language has 2 more letters, v and l. Also their culture is a tropical one, Maori are a temperate based culture and the only Polynesians besides Moriori (A subset of people that broke away from the Maori around 1450AD) who live outside the tropics. In New Zealand, Cook Islanders are considered “Pasifika” rather than “Maori” and are lumped in with other Pacific Islanders of Polynesian descent like Tahitians, Marquesans, Tongans, Samoans, Niueans, Tokelauans.
They have automatic New Zealand citizenry because of colonial reasons.
Their other similarity with Maori, is that Cook Islanders especially Rarotongans (Who make up 65 - 75% of all Cook Island peoples) are mostly likely to be mixed race. It is the only Island people with a significant amount of mixed race and even near white people (Adrian Orr is a good example, he is 12.5% or 25% Cook Island Maori, yet he looks ultra white). You get mixed race with other Pacific Islands, but numbers are much lower (Only 8% of Samoans in Samoa call themselves Euronesian, much higher outside Samoa).
Many surnames of Rarotonga are also European owing to mixed race people usually descended from a White Male ancestor. The Prime Minister for instance is called Mark Brown and he looks mixed. Other common names include Henry, Davis, Thomas, Marsters etc.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
