Did Maori come From China

When hui and much more is same for Maori and Chinese
The Maori of New Zealand - published by Song Lam

The Maori performers tell of how their ancestors began their journey many centuries ago, crossing the sea from China to Taiwan and from there they reached then Pacific Islands including Aotearoa.

The pronunciation of five Maori vowels (a e i o u ) is exactly as in Chinese Mandarin (Hanyu Pinyin).

The Maori word “hui” which meet meeting or gathering, has the same meaning and pronunciation as Hanyu Pinyin “hui”

The Maori demi god Maui has his Chinese counterpart in Monkey, Sun Wu Kong. Both Maui and Sun Wu Kong are shape shifters who could transform themselves in any shape or figure at any time.

Chinese legend has a woman called Chang E who stole elixir and flew to the moon and stayed there alone. In Maori legend a woman called Nona was punished by living alone on the moon.

Both Maori and Chinese value the land and pay homage to it – traditionally and now.

It is part of Maori and Chinese protocol to remove shoes before entering the Marae and a Chinese home respectively as a mark of respect. The Maori Marae is just like the Chinese Ci Tang where the people from the hupu or tribe worship their ancestors.

Before the coming of the European Maori Chiefs practiced polygamy, as did the Chinese.

Traditionally the Chinese do not encourage marriage between men and women with the same surname. In the case of Maori people from the same tribe are not encouraged to marry.

Traditionally in Maori practice, the marriage of a puhi, a virgin daughter of a chief, is arranged by he father or a kaumtua. This is similar to that of marriages arranged for the Chinese nobles in ancient times.

Like the Chinese, the maori respect their elders and other senior relatives, such as older brothers and sisters. They have the responsibility of looking after their younger siblings. Both Maori and Chinese value and function in an extended family circle.

Both Maori and Chinese regard the head the most important part of the body. Traditionally the Maori used to keep the severed heads of their enemies as a kind of utu. In ancient times the Chinese did the same.

Rank or heritage right of Maori was theoretically based on the principle of Primogeniture. The first born in the senior male line had the highest rank, similar to the Chinese practice of naming the oldest Chinese son or Grandson heirs to the father of grandfather.

A formal wedding ceremony was not common practice among Maori and Chinese. They just invited relatives and close friends to attend a banquet or feast.
Maori tend to present a koha when the visit each other , as do the Chinese.
Published in iball 26 May 2006 news@iballmedia.co.nz