Who were the first settlers of New Zealand?
Mia Phillips
Updated on March 22, 2026
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Subsequently, one may also ask, who were the first people in New Zealand?
Since the early 1900s the theory that Polynesians (Māori) were the first ethnic group to settle in New Zealand (first proposed by Captain James Cook) has been dominant among archaeologists and anthropologists.
Furthermore, where did New Zealand first settlers come from? New Zealand was first settled by Polynesians from Eastern Polynesia.
Similarly, you may ask, when did settlers arrive in NZ?
By the time the first Europeans arrived, Māori had settled the land, every corner of which came within the interest and influence of a tribal (iwi) or sub-tribal (hapū) grouping. Abel Tasman was the first of the European explorers known to have reached New Zealand, in December 1642.
When did people discover New Zealand?
From that perspective, New Zealand was first spotted on December 13, 1642 by Dutch navigator Abel Tasman and explored by Captain James Cook in 1769.
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