Moriori genocide

The Moriori lived on the Chatham Islands.

They had a rule to be peaceful. This rule was very important to them.

Long ago, new people arrived on the islands. These people were not peaceful. They took the land and hurt the Moriori.

Many Moriori died during this sad time. Some people also got sick from new diseases. The number of Moriori people dropped a lot.

Later, the Moriori asked for their land back. They wanted people to know their true story.

Today, many people still identify as Moriori. They work hard to keep their culture alive.

The Moriori are the first people of the Chatham Islands.

Long ago, a leader named Nunuku-whenua made a law. This law said the Moriori must be peaceful. They followed this rule for a long time.

In 1835, Māori groups arrived on the islands. They came from mainland New Zealand. These groups took the land from the Moriori. Some Moriori were killed. Many others were made into slaves. The invaders also stopped them from speaking their own language.

Many Moriori died during this time. Some died from the fighting. Others died from new diseases brought by Europeans. The number of Moriori people fell from 1,700 to just 100 by 1870.

For a long time, people did not know the true story. But Moriori worked hard to fix this. In 2020, the government gave them land and money. They also agreed on the true history. Today, many people still identify as Moriori. They are keeping their culture alive.

The Moriori are the indigenous people of the Chatham Islands.

These islands include Chatham Island and Pitt Island. The Moriori developed a unique culture there. They learned to live using the resources from the sea. Their population grew to about 2,000 people. They lived in nine different tribes. Long ago, a high-ranking chief named Nunuku-whenua made a choice. He introduced a rule called Nunuku's Law. This law taught the people to be peaceful. It became a very important part of their lives.

In 1835, two Māori tribes arrived on the islands. These groups were the Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama. They came from the Taranaki region of mainland New Zealand. They traveled on a ship called the Lord Rodney. The first group arrived on November 19, 1835. The second group arrived on December 5, 1835. The invaders used muskets, clubs, and tomahawks. They told the Moriori that their land was now taken. They said the Moriori were now their vassals. This means they were forced to serve the new arrivals.

Many Moriori tried to decide how to react. A large council of 1,000 people met at Te Awapātiki. Younger members wanted to fight back against the invaders. They knew they had more people on the islands. However, the elders wanted to follow Nunuku's Law. They chose to stay peaceful even during the invasion. The invaders did not follow this peaceful way. They attacked the Moriori in their homes. About 300 Moriori were killed during this time. Hundreds of others were taken as slaves.

Life was very hard for the Moriori during this period. The invaders forbade them from speaking their own language. They also stopped them from marrying or having children. Many people died from the violence. Others died from diseases brought by Europeans. The population dropped from 1,700 in 1835 to only 100 by 1870. In 1862, only 101 Moriori remained. A man named Tommy Solomon was the last person with only Moriori ancestry. He died in 1933. The British finally released the Moriori from slavery in 1863.

Today, the Moriori people are working to bring their culture back. For a long time, people believed incorrect myths about them. They thought the Moriori were extinct. They also thought the Moriori came from mainland New Zealand. A documentary in 1980 helped correct these mistakes. In 2001, a report agreed with Moriori claims. In 2020, a treaty settlement was passed in Parliament. This included land and $18 million in compensation. The Kōpinga Marae opened on Chatham Island in 2005. Nearly 1,000 people still identify as Moriori today.

The Moriori genocide was a period of mass violence and enslavement. It targeted the Moriori, the indigenous people of the Chatham Islands. These islands consist of Chatham Island and Pitt Island. This tragedy occurred between 1835 and 1863. It involved the Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama tribes from mainland New Zealand. These Māori groups invaded the islands and changed Moriori life forever. The event resulted in a massive loss of life and culture.

The Moriori people have a deep history on the islands. Most scholars believe they arrived around 1500 AD. They likely migrated from New Zealand to the isolated islands. Over time, they developed a culture based on marine resources. Their population grew to about 2,000 people divided into nine tribes. In the 16th century, a chief named Nunuku-whenua introduced a vital rule. This was called Nunuku's Law. It was a philosophy of non-violence. This law became a core part of their identity.

In 1835, the invasion began through two separate sailings. The Māori tribes had been driven from Taranaki during the Musket Wars. They used the ship Lord Rodney to reach the islands. The first group arrived on November 19, 1835. The second group arrived on December 5, 1835. The invaders carried muskets, clubs, and tomahawks. They told the Moriori that their land was now taken. They declared the Moriori to be their vassals, or forced servants.

The Moriori responded by holding a massive council. About 1,000 people met at Te Awapātiki to debate their future. Younger Moriori wanted to fight back because they outnumbered the invaders. However, the elders chose to follow Nunuku's Law. They viewed peace as a moral imperative. The invaders did not respect this decision. They launched a pre-emptive attack on Moriori homes. Around 300 Moriori were killed in this initial violence. Hundreds more were taken into slavery.

Life under enslavement was extremely difficult and restrictive. The invaders forbade the Moriori from speaking their own language. They forced the Moriori to desecrate their own sacred sites. They also prevented Moriori from marrying or having children. These rules were different from Māori slavery on the mainland. The population suffered from both violence and European diseases. In 1835, there were about 1,650 Moriori. By 1862, only 101 Moriori remained. Total deaths between the invasion and 1863 reached 1,561 people.

Legal battles followed the period of enslavement. The Moriori petitioned the New Zealand government for land rights. In 1863, a magistrate officially released the Moriori from slavery. However, a Native Land Court was set up in 1870. This court ruled in favor of the Māori invaders. The judge awarded the Māori 97% of the land. He ruled that conquest meant the Moriori lost ownership rights. Tommy Solomon died in 1933 as the last person of sole Moriori ancestry.

In recent decades, there has been a significant cultural revival. For a long time, myths claimed the Moriori were extinct. A 1980 documentary helped correct these false ideas. In 1994, the Waitangi Tribunal began hearing Moriori claims. The tribunal agreed with their identity in 2001. In 2020, a treaty settlement was passed by Parliament. This included $18 million in compensation and land transfers. The Kōpinga Marae opened in 2005 to celebrate their heritage. Today, nearly 1,000 people identify as Moriori.