Impact of Europeans to Maori
Analyse the impact of European contact in Māori between 1642 and prior to the sighing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
Between 1642 and prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, many European traders and missionaries arrived, bringing changes for Māori. They impacted the Māori society and introduced many new things to the Māori like pigs, muskets, tobacco and alcohol. Missionaries also influenced Māori and introduced Māori to Christianity and to the written language. Europeans changed the lifestyle of Māori, civilised Māori and taught them farming skills and new types of agricultural cultivation.
The Europeans influenced the Māori trade. Pre European trade took the form of gift exchange with an obligation to reciprocate with an equal or better quality gift. Inland tribes often traded with costal tribes because the costal tribes had more fish and seafood while inland tribes had more meat and plants. Also, inter-island trade between the North and South was important. Traders in flax, muskets, blankets, tobacco and other products were present from the early 1830s. With the Europeans, it was the same gift exchange style with expected reciprocation. Goods with a relatively similar value were exchanged at the same time. The Māori started to realise the value of nails as chisels as they started to request them in return for goods they already had. Also, flax was wanted by the Europeans because it was soft, durable and strong. European explorers visiting New Zealand in the 1700s quickly saw the usefulness of flax. Flax could be used to make rope for rigging on sailing ships and many other purposes. Māori made flax ropes for visiting ships and bartered flax and weaving for European goods. This exchange of products helped bring Māori and Europeans into close contact with each other for the first time. However, this made most tribes move from their traditional homelands to be closer to trading posts and to the swamps where flax grew. The Māori were normally paid
Between 1642 and prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, many European traders and missionaries arrived, bringing changes for Māori. They impacted the Māori society and introduced many new things to the Māori like pigs, muskets, tobacco and alcohol. Missionaries also influenced Māori and introduced Māori to Christianity and to the written language. Europeans changed the lifestyle of Māori, civilised Māori and taught them farming skills and new types of agricultural cultivation.
The Europeans influenced the Māori trade. Pre European trade took the form of gift exchange with an obligation to reciprocate with an equal or better quality gift. Inland tribes often traded with costal tribes because the costal tribes had more fish and seafood while inland tribes had more meat and plants. Also, inter-island trade between the North and South was important. Traders in flax, muskets, blankets, tobacco and other products were present from the early 1830s. With the Europeans, it was the same gift exchange style with expected reciprocation. Goods with a relatively similar value were exchanged at the same time. The Māori started to realise the value of nails as chisels as they started to request them in return for goods they already had. Also, flax was wanted by the Europeans because it was soft, durable and strong. European explorers visiting New Zealand in the 1700s quickly saw the usefulness of flax. Flax could be used to make rope for rigging on sailing ships and many other purposes. Māori made flax ropes for visiting ships and bartered flax and weaving for European goods. This exchange of products helped bring Māori and Europeans into close contact with each other for the first time. However, this made most tribes move from their traditional homelands to be closer to trading posts and to the swamps where flax grew. The Māori were normally paid