The reality that is the remote location of the islands of New Zealand has made its exploration a popular topic of study among scholars and academics. The humble beginnings of this isolated landmass are among some of the most contentiously debated topics in western academia.

In his explorations of Polynesia, Captain James Cook and his fellow scientists noted certain parallels between the Polynesian people and other known-people, such as customs, traditions, appearance as well as language. This indicated to them that there was some recent link, with more distant origins probably laying in the ‘Malay’ or ‘East Indies’ regions.

Others suggested a European or west-Asian initial colonization – a view that persisted into the twentieth century, but this idea bares less value now. Others still maintain more religious views, saying that the Maori origins are comparable to what is written in the Old Testament. Several other hypotheses have been put forward, but with the discovery of Carbon dating in the 1950s, many would be scrapped or ignored.

In fact, ethnologists led by Percy Smith “tidied up” the Maori oral tradition in the early 20th century, ascribing the date of first Polynesian contact with New Zealand at 750 AD – the “great fleet” arrived in 1350 AD. With his ideas being reinforced by Elsdon Best and other Maori scholars, Smith’s theory became widely accepted as historical fact, maintaining dominance till at least the 1970s.

By the time the new scientific method of radiocarbon dating came into function, this theory had already been put forward, but closer analysis revealed that the Maori may have possibly arrived as early as 800AD, making Smith’s conclusion not entirely accurate. In recent years, carbon dating of archaeological locations, DNA analyses as well as canoe reconstructions have made the debate even more contentious.

Fast forward several hundred years, and in came the first Dutch-European explorer Abel Tasman – a man on an expedition to discover what he dubbed a “Great South Land,” believed to be rich in minerals. In 1642, while searching for this continent, Tasman saw a “large high-lying land” off the West Coast of the South Island. He annexed the country for Holland, calling the island “Staten Landt” (subsequently changed to New Zealand).

The region was to see a number of western visitors namely, sailors, missionaries, traders and adventurers right up until the 18th century. Having roused great interest in growing western powers, the Treaty of Waitangi was to be signed between the British Crown and a number of Maori chiefs – brining the country under the British Empire.

Extensive British settlement took place, ultimately displacing much of the Maori tribe and bringing the country to modernity and eventually, to independence. Everything else is history, as is the common mantra.