Maori Land Loss
Storyboard Text
- In 1860, Maori owned approximately 23.2 million acres. After the signing of Treat of Watitangi, the crown owned 6 million acres. However as the years progress, the amount of land Maori owned decreased while the Pakeha numbers increased.
- I'm here on behalf of the government to confiscate your land due to your involvement in the war.
- THAT'S NOT FAIR, WE DON"T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COME BACK. We will fall into poverty if we keep spending our money on court hearings.
- Considering the Native Land court, this land will be spilt into 10 sections and only 10 people from an iwi will take ownership. However it will take much more time to prepare final decisions so I hope to see you in a few months time.
- Good day Sir, Would you please sign these papers to hand your land to us. Must I remind you that if you choose to refuse, you will be heavily penelised.
- No sir, only this native's land.
- Oh dear! Will you be needing my land as well?
- OHH but this land is all I have keeping my family and myself alive. It's our only way to survive.
- How will I ever be able to treat my husband and the rest of the sickly. We barely have money to purchase goods and with the Pakeha taking our land, we have no crops to harvest. It only be days till the rest of my family and I fall into despair and become victims to the disease.
- The years between 1840 and 1860, Aotearoa faced a dillema regarding native trees and bush. 20% of forests/bush were cut down in order to make space for sheep and other animals. Deforestion continued into the 1900s affecting the native birds. However the decreasing numbers of birds had started in the 1860's but the mass extinction wasn't until after 1880. The more species of animals were invited into NZ, the more of our native birds disappeared due to hunting or being prey.
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