The Moriori (1835)

The Moriori are the Indigenous people of the Chatham Islands, a group of islands about 700 km east of main islands of New Zealand.

They are Polynesian in origin, closely related in language and culture to Maori, but with their own distinct traditions and society. They likely settled the islands sometime between the 1300s and early 1400s and lived in relative isolation for many centuries. 

For hundreds of years before European contact, the Moriori developed a unique culture based on pacifism and peaceful conflict resolution, guided by what they called Nunuku’s Law, a sacred rule that banned warfare, murder, and killing. Disputes among Moriori were settled by ritual contests with sticks, where combat ended when the first drop of blood appeared. 

In late 1835 (specifically November and December), life for the Moriori changed drastically. Around 900 Maori people from the mainland tribes Ngati Mutunga and Ngati Tama, who had been living near what is now Wellington, arrived at Rekohu aboard a European ship called the Lord Rodney. The first group of about 500 Maori arrived on 19 November, and another 400 arrived on 5 December. 

Initially, the Moriori welcomed and fed the newcomers according to their tikane (customs). But soon the visitors began to act as though they were there to stay and to take over land and resources. 

When the Maori settlers began to lay claim to Moriori land and showed signs of hostility, Moriori leaders met at a council (hui) at Te Awapatiki to decide what to do. Many younger Moriori argued that they should fight back because they outnumbered the newcomers. But the elders, including chiefs such as Tapata and Torea, insisted on following Nunuku’s Law and remaining peaceful, even though that meant not defending themselves with weapons. 

This choice was a reflection of deeply held cultural values: for the Moriori, Nunuku’s Law was not just practical but sacred. 

Tragically, the Maori misinterpreted Moriori’s peaceful intentions as weakness. They launched violent attacks across the islands. Historical accounts say that hundreds of Moriori were killed in the first weeks of the conflict, with estimates of those killed ranging from around 200 to about 300 people (roughly one-sixth of the population). 

The survivors were enslaved by the Maori invaders. Moriori people were forced to perform hard labour, prohibited from speaking their own language, and forbidden from marrying other Moriori. Many were taken to other islands by their captors, which scattered families and communities. 

The documented facts show a devastating consequence for the Moriori people: mass death, loss of freedom, and deep cultural disruption. 

The invasion of 1835 marked the start of decades of suffering for Moriori. In the years that followed:

The Moriori population declined drastically due to violence, disease introduced through European contact, and the harsh conditions of enslavement.  By 1842, the Chatham Islands were annexed to New Zealand, but Moriori received no protection from colonial authorities. 

Slavery was officially abolished on the islands in 1863, but by then, only a small number of Moriori remained.  For much of the 20th century, Moriori were mistakenly taught in some New Zealand schools as being extinct or as a separate race inferior to Maori, a portrayal now recognized as inaccurate and harmful.  Today, Moriori descendants continue efforts to preserve and revive their culture, language, and history, and have achieved formal recognition of their status as the original people of the Chatham Islands.