The Maori People
From the Whale Rider
MAORI ART
Maori art included mainly weaving and carving. Carving was done by men, and weaving was done by women. Skilled weavers are prized within their tribes, and they say 'Aitia te wahine o te pā harakeke' which translates to mean 'Marry the woman who is always at the flax bush, for she is an expert flax worker and an industrious person'.
Maori Wars
The 'Maori Wars' were a series of armed conflicts that took place between 1845 and 1872. These wars were aimed at dislodging the Maori King Movement.
Maori's Today
Today, about 530,000 Maoris live in New Zealand. Because of the high numbers of mixed marriages between Maoris and white people, there are very few people of pure Maori descent.