Analyse the Impact of European Contact on Maori (1770-1840)

When Abel Tasman first set foot on New Zealand, what he motto isnt what we see today. In his eyes, New Zealand was an undeveloped jungle. Soon after he discovered New Zealand, others discrete to explore the land too. But the natives were not going to come about over their resources unless they got something for it.

The wedge of European contact on the Maori was two good and bad. If it wasnt for the animals that the Europeans bought with them such as cats, dogs, rabbits, cows, horses and goats, we wouldnt cause pets or farm animals to keep us company, or to take a leak for us. They also bought in ferrets, stoats and weasels that ate the crops and the eggs of our native and wingless birds, causing not only strife with the Maori, but the extinction of 21 species of birds.

The Europeans bought not only pests with them but also muskets. The Maori saw what the muskets could do and wanted them for themselves. All the Europeans were given strict orders, not to give muskets to the Maori, for fear of any conflicts with the other Pas or settlements. One particular missionary, named Thomas Kendall disobeyed the rule, after go in love with a Maori woman and her culture. He had no idea what he had triggered when he passed the first musket over to a tribal chief called Hongi Hika.



After the chief had acquired the musket, he unconquerable to get his utu, or his revenge. An estimated 20,000 Maori were killed in the Musket Wars which lasted from 1807 to 1842. This had a great impact upon the population of the Maori.

The early settlers were Christian, and so they thought that the Maori should be Christian as well. They bought Bibles, they had reading sessions everyday, where a settler would read a sentence, and the natives would chant after him. Someone soon realized that the natives couldnt see to it or speak English, so they started inking Maori versions of the Bible. Consequently, more and more Maori came to church service to worship. Before the Europeans settled, the Maori belief was...If you want to get a undecomposed essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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