The origins of Polynesian people and their arrival in Aotearoa

Wednesday, 9 October 2019

The Polynesian people who first discovered Aotearoa spent hundreds of years exploring the Pacific Ocean.

The Aotearoa History Show, scripted and co-presented by William Ray, tracks the story of this country from its geological origins through the arrival of people and their politics to modern-day New Zealand, using a mix of down-the-barrel presentation and animation. It was made possible by the RNZ/NZ on Air Innovation fund and is available on RNZ.co.nz and YouTube.

Around 850 years ago Polynesian explorers found an empty land and the story of people in Aotearoa began. A new culture emerged; tangata whenua had arrived and started to thrive.

In part two of The Aotearoa History Show, Polynesian explorers reach new shores far to the south; a land unlike anything they had seen before. It's a story of technological innovation, new horizons and becoming a new, distinct people.