Story: Te Waonui a Tāne – forest mythology
Before people arrived in New Zealand, more than 80% of the country was covered in forests. When the ancestors of Māori first came, they found an environment that was very different from their Polynesian homelands. They had to adjust to the cooler climate and mountainous geography.
Source: Bateman New Zealand historical atlas: ko papatuanuku e takoto nei. Auckland: David Bateman, 1997, plate 8
About this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.