Polynesians live on islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Maori are Polynesians and they live at the southern end of Polynesia in New Zealand. There are about 280,000 Maori today.
Maori, like other Polynesians, have brown skin, dark brown eyes, and wavy black hair. Men have beards and mustaches, but they usually shave them.
The Maori arrived in New Zealand from other Polynesian islands over a thousand years ago. They were the first people to live there. They made beautiful wooden buildings with pictures cut into the wood. There was one terrible thing about their life. They fought wars among themselves fro several centuries. Then British people came to live there in the 1970s, and some of the Maori fought them. In 1840 they agreed to become a British colony. This brought peace to the country. When they stopped fighting, they learned European ways quickly.
Today there are Maori in all kinds of jobs. They attend schools and universities and become lawyers and scientists. There are Maori in the government. Most of them live like the white New Zealanders.
However, the Maori do not forget their traditions. Children learn the language, music, and old stories. They have yearly competitions in speaking, dancing, and singing. They practice for months. Then all the Maori in the area arrive to watch the competitions and see who wins. They also visit old friends.
Today the Maori live a comfortable, modern life. However, they are not losing their traditions because they pass them on to their children.
The Maori arrived in New Zealand from other Polynesian islands over a thousand years ago. They were the first people to live there. They made beautiful wooden buildings with pictures cut into the wood. There was one terrible thing about their life. They fought wars among themselves fro several centuries. Then British people came to live there in the 1970s, and some of the Maori fought them. In 1840 they agreed to become a British colony. This brought peace to the country. When they stopped fighting, they learned European ways quickly.
Today there are Maori in all kinds of jobs. They attend schools and universities and become lawyers and scientists. There are Maori in the government. Most of them live like the white New Zealanders.
However, the Maori do not forget their traditions. Children learn the language, music, and old stories. They have yearly competitions in speaking, dancing, and singing. They practice for months. Then all the Maori in the area arrive to watch the competitions and see who wins. They also visit old friends.
Today the Maori live a comfortable, modern life. However, they are not losing their traditions because they pass them on to their children.
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