The morioris

The Law of Nunuku

More than a hundred years ago, there was severe fighting among the tribes of Rekohu. After the fighting, a chief named Nunuku wanted fighting to stop. The other chiefs agreed and made it a law. If two people started to fight, they were able to hit each other with a tupuari (wooden staff), if somebody drew blood, the fight would have to stop immediately.

In 1835,  the morioris was going to be invaded by tribes of New zealand because the tribes of New Zealand wanted to take over the land. When the Chiefs realised, they quickly met together and decided what they should do because they made a law not to fight.

After a long conversation, the chief didn’t want to disobey the law that Nunuku made, so they did not fight against the invasions.

So, more than 100 people died and some were enslaved. Nowadays,the descendants proudly showed memorials  for those who died.

                             The Treaty of Waitangi

The statue of Tame Horomona 

In 1870, 58,516 hectares (97.3% of Rekohu) was awarded to the tribes of New Zealand and sadly 1,640 hectares (2.7% of Rekohu) was for the morioris.

In 1933, the last moriori died, Tame Horomona (known as Tommy Solomon). After 53 years, David Lange announced a statue of Tame Horomona on the 29th December.

But, in 1988 the morioris wanted their return of land, fishing rights and their recognise of their culture and their identity.

In 2004, the morioris happily won back their fishing rights from the treaty of waitangi fisheries commision.

In 2005 on 21st January, the kopinga marae was opened by Helen Clark, Prime minister of New Zealand.   

BY AMY ZHANG