Māori people

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/m-ori-people

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the estimated arrival in aotearoa?Between 13th and 14th centuries CE
2. What is the primary mode of transport?Waka hourua (double-hulled voyaging canoes)
3. Who are the Māori people?The Māori are the first people who settled in New Zealand, coming from the island of Hawaiki in the 13th and 14th centuries.
4. How did the Māori travel to New Zealand?They sailed in double‑hull canoes called waka hourua, using the stars, currents, and other natural clues to navigate across the Pacific Ocean.

Whakapapa: Genealogy or lineage, a fundamental concept in Māori culture connecting individuals to ancestors and the natural world.
Wharenui: A traditional Māori meeting house, often elaborately carved and serving as a focal point for community gatherings and cultural expression.
Mana: A complex concept encompassing prestige, authority, spiritual power, and influence, held by individuals and groups.