Discover the amazing journeys, daring feats and driving forces that have contributed to the
changing identity of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Compare immigration of the past to today in this interactive programme.
Experience life through the eyes of our earliest settlers as they sought to arrive to a new life in early
Aotearoa New Zealand.
This popular programme is set amongst our Hawaiiki, Landfalls and New Beginnings galleries. During
your visit students will take part in a fully programmed timetable including:
An Educator– led workshop where students experience a journey with an immigrant from the past.
This will enable your students to question them and experience some of the hardships of travel in
the late 19th Century. Your students will have opportunities to share their family origins, their
reasons for immigrating and their impact on the changing face of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te Waka a 15 minute, immersive animated film of one of the great voyages of the early
Polynesians.
A self-guided trail to discover the rest of the Museum’s magnificent collection. Students will work in
small groups led by their adult supervisors. This will enable your students to follow their own interests
and learn at their own pace.
Please talk to our Educators when booking about additional learning experiences including:

Sailing the inner harbour on Ted Ashby, our heritage vessel (subject to availability).

Auckland Waterfront Walk.

Discounted Dockline Tram ride– subject to availability
Belonging in Society, Identity, Citizenship
Big Ideas/Key Ideas Diversity, cultures, languages, heritage, perseverance, challenge
Previous curriculum themes: Culture and heritage, Place and Environment
Learning areas: Social Sciences, Mathematics, Health & P.E
Key Competencies: Relating to Others, Participating & Contributing
Values: Diversity, equity, community, participation
Social Science
Level One
Understand how belonging to groups is important to people.
Understand how the past is important to people.
Level Two
Understand how the cultures of people in New Zealand are expressed in their daily
lives.
Understand how people make choices to meet their needs and wants.
Understand how cultural practices reflect and express people’s customs, traditions,
and values.
Understand how places influence people and people influence places.
Level Three
Level Four
Understand how the status of Maori as tangata whenua is significant for communities
in New Zealand.
Understand how early Polynesian and British migrations to New Zealand have continuing significance for tangata whenua and communities.
Understand how the movement of people affects cultural diversity and interaction in
New Zealand.
Understand how people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and that this has consequences for people.
Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and challenges for
people, places and environments.
The discovery of gold in New Zealand lured many men from countries across the world from 1857
Feel the Beat: Pasifika Cultures in New Zealand. Featured in ‘Belonging and Participating in Society’. Learning
Media. Ministry of Education. 2008.
New Zealand currently has a population of approximately four and an half million people. Roughly a
thousand years ago the population was zero. At that stage no one had crossed the Pacific Ocean to live in
these remote isolated islands. Over the last thousand years the country has been populated by the first
people– Mâori and brand new immigrants or births from families who had already immigrated here.
Te Ara, the New Zealand Encyclopedia, estimates that the Maori population before the signing of the Treaty
of Waitangi in 1840 was about 100,000.
Until 1839 there were only about 2,000 European immigrants in New Zealand. Mass migration from Europe
and in particular from Great Britain began in the 1840’s following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Statistics New Zealand states that New Zealand’s population reached 1 million in 1908, 2 million in 1952, 3
million in 1973, and 4 million in 2003. According to the 2013 census count the population is now over 4.2
million people. The Statistics New Zealand Population Clock estimates over 4.5 million people are resident in
New Zealand. It is estimated that there is a migration gain of one New Zealand resident every 13 minutes.
Finding Refuge: Movement of refugees to New Zealand. Featured in ‘Belonging and Participating in Society’.
Learning Media. Ministry of Education. 2008.
My Grandparents and Me Level 1-2 unit from English Online helps students at year 1-3 to focus on the
special relationships between grandparents (or older friends - grandfriends) and grandchildren...
http://englishonline.tki.org.nz/E...s-Years-1-3/My-Grandparents-and-Me

New to New Zealand. Ethnic Communities in Aotearoa: A Handbook. Edited by Jenny Magee. 5 th
edition. 2011.

Maori Peoples of New Zealand: Nga iwi o Aotearoa. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. David
Bateman, 2006.

Settler and Migrant Peoples of New Zealand. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. David
Bateman, 2006.
Polynesian arrivals – The coming of the Maori
The first people to arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand were the Polynesians.
Kupe is often named as the first great Polynesian explorer to discover these
lands.
Voyages in large ocean going Waka occurred possibly 700 to 1000 years
ago. Some of these people stayed, others returned home. Those that stayed
in Aotearoa became the Maori people, although that name and that
concept of identity came about much later. The Maori people and the
Polynesians have common ancestry.

Settlers – New Zealand Immigrants from England, Ireland & Scotland 1800 – 1945. Jock Phillips & Terry
Hearn. Auckland University Press, 2008.

Over the Mountains of the Sea. Life on the Migrant Ships 1800 – 1945. David Hastings. Auckland
University Press, 2006.

Women and Children Last. The Burning of the Emigrant Ship Cospatrick. Charles R. Clark. Otago
University Press, 2006.

Belonging and Participating in Society. Learning Media. Ministry of Education. 2008.
Theories about the Great Fleet and the Moriori

Voyager Maritime Museum

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
When the Europeans first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand they wondered
about the origins of the Maori people. The explorer Captain Cook noticed
that the Maori had similar appearances and culture to the Polynesians. He
believed they had a common ancestry. In the 1800’s many European
historians, in particular Percy Smith, devised a theory that the Maori migrated
in one great fleet of 7 canoes. Many speculated that the Maori arrived by
accident as their sailing technology was considered primitive to European
technology. Another theory was that the Maori were not the first arrivals to
Aotearoa but that it was the Moriori, a people from Melanesia. Some
historians suggested the Maori conquered the primitive Moriori. These theories
were reflective of the time, as Darwin’s theory of ‘Natural Selection’
promoted the idea of superior races taking over from primitive races. Many
believed the European settlers were the next ‘superior race’ to take over from
the Maori (p12 Maori tribes of NZ – Te Ara)
It is now accepted that the Moriori were not the first arrivals and that they were not exterminated by later
arrivals. The School Journal ran a series of special stories about Moriori in 2010. In early 2011 the Minister of
Education Anne Tolley visited the Chatham Islands Moriori to formally apologise and present copies of the
School Journal. It is now accepted that the Moriori were not the first arrivals and that they were not
exterminated by later arrivals. The School Journal ran a series of special stories about Moriori in 2010. In early
2011 the Minister of Education Anne Tolley visited the Chatham Islands Moriori to formally apologise and
present copies of the School Journal.
www.maritimemuseum.co.nz
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/history-of-immigration/page-1

Ministry for Culture and Heritage
www.mch.govt.nz

Auckland City Libraries
www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

Te Kete Ipurangi
www.tki.org.nz

Digistore– for digital content
http://digistore.tki.org.nz/ec/p/home

School Journal teacher support materials
www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachers_notes/school_journal/tchr_notes/
SJ_Par10206/becoming_a_kiwi_e.html?part=1




Abel Tasman and Captain Cook were European explorers, not European immigrants. However, their
experiences directly influenced European immigration.
Abel Tasman
In 1642 Abel Tasman and his crew were the first
known Europeans to arrive in Aotearoa New
Zealand. The purpose of the voyage was trade.
Their experience was not a pleasant one.
Tasman and his crew, in two ships could not find
a place to come ashore on the rough rugged
West Coast. When they finally rounded Farewell
Spit at the top of the South Island they
anchored in what is now known as Golden Bay.
Tasman’s men had a skirmish with the local
tribe, Ngati Tumatakokiri. 4 of Tasman’s crew
were killed. Tasman named the bay ‘Murderers
Bay’ and left.
Following on from Tasman’s bad experience no
Europeans came to ‘Nieuw Zeeland’ for well over 120
years.
Little Known Fact about Tasman: Tasman and his crew never set foot in New Zealand. They could not make
land fall on any of the rough West Coast beaches. Tasman had only basic medical supplies aboard so the
crew were susceptible to sickness such as scurvy. Food and water were running low. Navigational
instruments were very primitive so Tasman only had a rough idea of where they were. As Tasman was the first
to map New Zealand he was effectively lost in an unknown area. After the fatal skirmishes with local Maori
tribes it is no wonder that Tasman and his ships left, never to return. Tasman did not recommend ‘Nieuw
Zeeland’ as a place for European immigration.
Captain Cook
Captain James Cook and his crew first visited Aotearoa New Zealand in 1769. He had such a fantastic
experience that he visited here three times in all.
Cook drew a very accurate map of New Zealand. His skill as a navigator was such that he could give precise
instructions as to how to sail here. Cook kept a detailed journal describing the seas, forests, land, birds,
animals, fish and people of this South Pacific paradise. On board his ship the Endeavour were botanists and
artists. The specimens, sketches and paintings from the voyage captured the imagination of the public back
in Europe. All of these factors combined to make Aotearoa New Zealand a very attractive destination for
future waves of European immigrants. Within 100 years of Cook’s first visit European immigrants outnumbered
the local Maori population.
Little Known Facts about Cook: Cook was not a captain when he first arrived in New Zealand. He had only
just been promoted to Lieutenant in time for the first voyage. For his second voyage to New Zealand he was
promoted to the rank of Commander. He was not actually a Captain until his third and final voyage to New
Zealand.
Cook visited New Zealand on each of his three round the world voyages of exploration. He only visited
Australia ONCE… and never went back!
The voyage taken by immigrants from England to New Zealand was the longest emigrant route in the world
at the time. It generally took 3-4 months. The ships that carried the immigrants were quite small, carrying 150200 passengers. They were wooden, leaky and in constant danger from fire.
The majority of passengers were “steerage” passengers. Steerage accommodation was below decks. Those
who could afford better paid for private cabins on higher decks. Steerage passengers were housed in
communal dormitories divided into quarters for married couples and their children, single women and single
men. Whole families shared narrow bunks- privacy was nonexistent. Steerage was poorly ventilated , and
often in bad weather with the hatches closed, there was no light or fresh air.
Food was strictly rationed for steerage passengers and included salted beef, ships biscuit and some sort of
porridge. Whereas cabin passengers had fresh food from live animals and poultry on board. Water was also
strictly rationed, and often went foul and needed to be boiled before drinking.
Illness and accidents were major problems for those on board. Indeed the ship’s surgeon, captain, and
officers were sometimes paid a bonus if their passengers were delivered fit and well. All passengers were
supposed to have received a clean bill of health from the ship’s surgeon before leaving on their voyages.
Those who failed were not able to sail. Diseases such as measles, scarlet fever, dysentery, typhoid and
whooping cough thrived in the close environments on board. Common ailments included seasickness,
toothache, boils and colds and fevers. Without benefit of the modern medicines of today many of these
illnesses could result in death.
PUSH FACTORS
Reasons why my family may have left their original
country
PULL FACTORS
Reasons why my family may have chosen
New Zealand
Steady flows of Europeans began to come to New Zealand following
the three expeditions by Cook. Cook’s journals made New Zealand
sound like a Pacific Paradise. Cook’s map and navigational
instructions enabled European sailors to plan voyages here.
Immigration from Europe did not occur until the 1800’s. Until 1839 there
were only about 2,000 European immigrants in New Zealand. Mass
migration began in the 1840’s following the signing of the Treaty of
Waitangi. The treaty ensured that for the next century most immigrants
came from the United Kingdom. The 1860’s, 1870’s and early 1900’s
saw the most European immigrants arrive. The migration of the 1870’s
was the most significant in New Zealand history.
Many immigrants came from China in the 1860’s to dig for gold in the
gold rushes.
In the 1890’s many immigrants came from Dalmatia (modern day
Croatia).
Immigration to New Zealand in the 1900’s.
During the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s many immigrants came from
Europe. Many came to escape their war torn communities.
Recent Immigration to New Zealand
Waves of immigrants have
arrived from the Pacific Islands
since the 1960’s. Auckland is
now the largest Polynesian city
in the world.
Immigrants now come from all
over the globe from diverse
countries such as Australia,
Europe, the United Kingdom,
Korea, China, India, South
Africa and many more.
All immigrants bring their own
culture, heritage, traditions,
language, religions, food,
festivals, music, clothing and
sports to Aotearoa New
Zealand.
New Zealand has a bi-cultural
heritage and is now becoming
very much a multi-cultural
society.
Ann Beaglehole. 'Immigration regulation - 1986–2003: selection on personal merit', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 15
-Nov-12 . URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/graph/1383/number-of-foreign-born-residents-by-country-of-birth-1986-200
Discussion points
Identity:
Me, my family, my class, my school, my community.
My community

What is the history of the area you live in? What is the ethnic composition of your community? Housing
reports and NZ Statistics will have this information.
Note: many of these activities are supported by resources listed in the Resources pages later in this
book.

Research the history of your community at your local library. They will have many books and pamphlets
about your local area.

Investigate if there are any heritage trails for your area. Maps for these can often be found at your
local library

How has immigration affected your community? Prepare a presentation of the many cultures of your
school community and what they have brought with them. Could be through music, dance, images,
speech etc
Me & my family

Research own family immigration history. Where did they come from? When? Why? Who? Keep in
mind that there are many different sides to each family

Create a family tree.- See FAMILY TREE in Graphic Organisers and Templates

Students could develop their own coat of arms. Consider colours indicating their country of origin,
simple images that indicate their family’s skills, their values. Look at New Zealand Coat of Arms to help
prompt thinking

Conduct interviews with older family members such as grandparents. This could be done as part of a
Grandparents Day or homework. Students may record their interviews. They could ask:
Who were the people in our family to arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand?
What place/country did our family leave to come to New Zealand?
Why did our family move to New Zealand?
Where did they first settle?
How has New Zealand changed? What did our culture bring to New Zealand e.g. food, music,
business, skills, politics?

Students could develop their own mihi. go to http://tereomaori.tki.org.nz/ for resources appropriate to
student’s levels

Discuss how people came to this country. What may have been difficult about their journey? What risks
were there? Why did they think the journey was worth the risk? Ask students what is your waka? e.g.
Maori waka, name of ship, name of airline.
My class

Investigate where the families of students in your class have come from. Create a chart / graph to
show this- You could do this with flags

Discuss that our families have all travelled across the Pacific Ocean to get here. Make a pictogram
showing the variety of waka our families have used to first arrive on these shores

Draw the route travelled by your family to New Zealand

Discuss the many different push/pull factors that have drawn people to Aotearoa. Group these under
headings e.g. War, Work, Education, Love, Land, Adventure, Violence, Health etc. Create a mural ,
dance or performances and present these to their families– Family Day?
My school

What is the history of your school? There may be a book about the history of your school
My country

How has the introduction of different culture, heritage, traditions, language, religions, food, festivals,
music, clothing and sports influenced Aotearoa New Zealand?

List examples of culture, heritage, traditions, language, religions, food, festivals, music, clothing and
sports for each immigrant group. (i.e. English language from United Kingdom)

How long has each been noticeable or evident in Aotearoa New Zealand?

How wide spread are immigrants throughout Aotearoa New Zealand?

If most recent immigrants live in or near Auckland, how does this impact on Auckland?

Interview your school principal and the school librarian about the history of your school

Who are some famous or influential children of immigrants that are known nationwide?

What is the history of the area your school is in? Who were the first people? Who were the first
immigrants? You could contact your local marae or library to identify an expert to speak to your class
eg local historian, kaumatua or kuia

E.g. Jonah Lomu (All Black), Sir Anand Satyanand (Governor General)

Use your photos of the visit to create a presentation.

‘What I learnt’: Transactional writing – recount, explanation, factual account, sequence, point of view

What examples of immigrant’s cultures can be seen in food, festivals, TV, clothing and music in your
community? i.e. Diwali, Pasifika, Indian restaurants, Sushi, St Patricks Day, Brotown.

Students choose a culture that they think has had a significant influence on Aotearoa and prepare a
presentation to demonstrate this. You could have a celebration day of your class’s collective work and
invite community to view it– presentations, performances, web pages, blogs etc

What is the ethnic/cultural composition of your school? The latest ERO report will have this information.
How has this changed over time? Look for old photos of your school. Students could create a slide
show/movie presentation that celebrates how the mix of peoples and cultures have changed since
the school began

Hold an International Day. Encourage students to dress up in their native costume to show their origins.

Hold an International Week. Focus on a different country or continent each day. Learn about
greetings, clothing, food, customs, and celebrations