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The human history of New Zealand can be dated back to between 1320 and 1350 CE, when the main settlement period started, after it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture.
The culture of New Zealand is a synthesis of indigenous Māori, colonial British, and other cultural influences.The country's earliest inhabitants brought with them customs and language from Polynesia, and during the centuries of isolation, developed their own Māori and Moriori cultures.
Tea drinking has been part of New Zealand culture since European settlement. Some tea is produced in New Zealand, such as from BrewGroup and Zealong. The country once drank more tea per capita than Britain. Tea consumption has been declining, and the country has been drinking more coffee than tea since about the 1980s.
Māori culture forms a distinctive part of New Zealand culture and, due to a large diaspora and the incorporation of Māori motifs into popular culture, is found throughout the world. [122] [123] Contemporary Māori culture comprises traditional as well as 20th-century influences.
c. 1280: Earliest archaeological sites provide evidence that initial settlement of New Zealand occurred around 1280 CE. [5]~1300: Most likely period of ongoing early settlement of New Zealand by Polynesian people (the Archaic Moa-Hunter Culture).
Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening of culture arising from increased immigration to the country. The official languages are English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language, with the local dialect of English being dominant.
The ministry supports research into and promotion of New Zealand history. This includes publication of New Zealand history books and e-books, and a number of websites. The ministry's managed sites include: [18] New Zealand History (NZHistory) Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand; Dictionary of New Zealand Biography; Ngā Tapuwae Trails [19]
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand is an online encyclopedia established in 2001 by the New Zealand Government's Ministry for Culture and Heritage. [1] The web-based content was developed in stages over the next several years; the first sections were published in 2005, and the last in 2014 marking its completion. [2]