How Sealers, Traders and whalers Changed Maori Society.

As well as potatoes and pig, Europeans introduced maize and wheat. things that they could not bring from their home land. They all together would have a ‘drinking season’ that lasted for months, which local Maori would join in on. Not only this but very often Maori women married European men, not usually for love, but because it was beneficial for both cultures – especially trading wise.

It is thought that this addition of alcohol and tobacco to the community is why the Maoris who originally monopolised New Zealand trade became less efficient. They now had the chance to join as crew whaling ships, or join traders and take ships over to see the rest of the world. This obviously was much more efficient than the methods Maori had previously used. They also introduced the idea of keeping livestock. It changed for many reasons, firstly because the Maori’s did not have a wide variety of food and would have welcomed the new tastes. They are baptised, they have names, and have sunk down lifeless and fearful. Even though they were quite small in numbers, they had a huge influence because of their interesting and different lifestyle, which was introduced to New Zealand. Although it is thought that the whalers were the group that had the most affect on the Maori culture. As well as the kumara, yam and taro that the Maori’s lived on before the Europeans came. But Europeans brought many different materials and styles that were quite quickly adopted by the Maoris, as it was easier to move around in, less effort to make and overall much more practical. Many Maoris were used as crew onboard, and they all wore European clothes.