Success for New Zealand conservation – Tuataras saved from extinction…

 Success for New Zealand conservation – Tuataras saved from extinction…Experiencing New Zealand the way it used to be – 200 million years ago before humankind evolved.

A species of tuatara the survivors of the reptilian order of Sphenodontia were in danger of extinction until the Victoria University of Wellington led surveys in the early 1990’S on the 300 hectares island of Hautura in the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand’s North Island.

Eight adult tuatara were found and kept in captivity on the island to protect them from Pacific rats also living there.

Since 1994 staff in the biological sciences of the university have been incubating and hatching eggs laid by these tuatara and sending them back to Hautura, also known as Little Barrier Island.

Back there they have been raised by Conservation Department staff in safe tuatariums awaiting rat eradication which would enable their release.

So far the eight founder tuatara have produced 100 offspring. Those released are both male and female, and aged from eight to twelve years old. A further 40 remain in captivity and will be released when they are large enough to better defend themselves.

In 2004 a rat eradication program began and by June last year the island was declared rat free!

Read more:

<a href=”http://www.mtbruce.org.nz/tuatara.htm>The Tuatara Story</a

<a href=”huttriver.blogster.com” mce_href=”huttriver.blogster.com”> Visit my other blog</a

From East Polynesia to New Zealand – a historical account.

 Here is a story for New Zealanders in general, and of Maori descent in particular. Read on and enjoy it, Kiwis.

A homeland region:

At the time of New Zealand settlement there was a voyaging and trading sphere in East Polynesia where ideas and cultural traits were shared and spread. All the available evidence of artefacts, language, biology and tradition suggests that this was the Māori homeland. It consists of the Society Islands, the southern Cook Islands and the Austral Islands in French Polynesia.

Even so, specific archaeological evidence is scarce. The shank of a fishing lure of black-lipped pearl shell, found at Tairua in the Coromandel, is one of a very few items from New Zealand archaeological sites that were actually brought from Polynesia.

It is unlikely that the ancestors of Māori came from only one particular location. DNA from New Zealand’s Pacific rat shows diverse lineages from the Society and Cook Islands. This suggests that several canoes came from a number of sources. They may have come over several generations, or even centuries. A study of human DNA also suggests that there was a minimum of 70–100 women as founding ancestors. Several canoes, possibly coming from several locations, would be needed to bring this number of people.

Return journeys

For a time, the Kermadec Islands and Norfolk Island were occupied as stopover points for canoes returning to East Polynesia. There is also evidence of direct New Zealand–Norfolk connections. But when voyaging slowed, these stepping-stone islands were abandoned. They became part of the group of ‘mystery islands’ that showed evidence of habitation, but were empty when Europeans arrived. Once they stopped returning to Polynesia, the settlers in New Zealand were cut off from the outside world.

A temperate land

Polynesian ancestors of the Māori arrived to a vast, cool archipelago covered in forest, with abundant wildlife. There were moa species (weighing from 20 to 250 kg) and other now extinct native birds including a swan, a goose, and Haast’s eagle (the world’s largest), probably a predator of the moa. Sea mammals, particularly seals, were plentiful on the coast, as were fish and shellfish.

Polynesians introduced the dog and the rat; if pigs and fowl had been on the canoes they did not survive. The settlers also brought with them taro, yam, paper mulberry and the Pacific cabbage tree (Cordyline fruticosa). The kūmara (sweet potato) and gourd were imports from South America via East Polynesia. It was too cold for plants such as coconut, breadfruit and banana.

Next: Why explore?

Related stories from Te Ara

• Canoe navigation

• First peoples in Māori tradition

• When was New Zealand first settled?

From the 1966 Encyclopaedia

• ARCHAEOLOGY

---

Image & Media Trail

The Story

---

In this story

• The world’s first seafarers

• Ancient voyaging in Near Oceania

• Into Remote Oceania: Lapita people

• From West to East Polynesia

• Pacific navigation and exploration

• East to the empty Pacific

• Māori ancestors

• Why explore?

• Get the Short Story
  A quick, easy read

• Image & Media Gallery
  All the pictures, audio & video

• Biographies Gallery
  The faces behind the story

• Further Sources
  Websites, books & more

More stories about…
Māori New Zealanders

1)window.location.href=this.url[this.url.selectedIndex].value;return false;”> More… ————————- Canoe navigation Canoe traditions First peoples in Māori tradition Hauraki tribes Hawaiki Ideas of Māori origins Māori creation traditions Māori overseas Marutūahu tribes Moriori Muaūpoko Muriwhenua tribes Ngā Puhi Ngā Rauru Kītahi Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tūhoe Ngāti Apa Ngāti Awa Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Maniapoto Ngāti Porou Ngāti Raukawa Ngāti Rongomaiwahine Ngāti Ruanui Ngāti Toarangatira Ngāti Tūwharetoa Ngāti Whātua Rangitāne Tāmaki tribes Taranaki Tauranga Moana tribes Te Arawa Te Āti Awa of Taranaki Te Āti Awa of Wellington Te Whakatōhea Te Whānau-ā-Apanui Tribal organisation Tūranganui-a-Kiwa tribes Urban Māori Waikato Whakatū tribes Whanganui tribes Whāngārei tribes When was New Zealand first settled?

---

---

Explore Te Ara

New Zealand in Brief | Earth, Sea and Sky | New Zealanders | Places

English Māori

---

How to cite this page: Geoff Irwin. ‘Pacific migrations’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 21-Dec-2006
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/NewZealanders/MaoriNewZealanders/PacificMigrations/en

---

^ Page Top

Print this page   Print all pages in this story
Sitemap | Glossary | About this site | Contact us

© Crown Copyright 2005 – 2007 | Disclaimer
Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga | govt.nz

_uacct = “UA-406684-2”; urchinTracker();

ISBN 0-478-18451-4

Visit our other websites:  

The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

NZLive.com

NZHistory.net.nz

Fiji wins its first tournament of the year – knocked New Zealand out of finals!

 The IRB World Sevens moved to San Diego in southern California, USA, last weekend.New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and France made the cup semi-finals.New Zealand and Fiji squared off in one semi-final and Samoa and France in the other.France had upset South Africa in their quarter final.

History repeated itself when Fiji knocked the six times IRB Champions New Zealand out of the finals berth. Samoa did the same to the French.

The final between Fiji and Samoa was really an anti-climax with Fiji turning the tables on the Wellington Sevens winner, Samoa last weekend.

After four rounds of the IRB Sevens Championship there have been four individual tournament winners: Dubai, South Africa; George (South Africa), New Zealand; Wellington( New Zealand), Samoa; and San Diego(USA), Fiji. New Zealand and Fiji jointly lead the points table halfway through the championship.

New Zealand were until a year ago unbeaten in the IRB Championship, having won six out of six, but Fiji won last year.New Zealand’s reign at the top of the Sevens tree ended because they have continuosly lost their best Sevens players to the 15-a-side Super 14 professional rugby franchises.Only at the Commonwealth Games were New Zealand’s top players made available, and they won the Gold Medal in the finals of that tournament.

As a consequence world rugby is unlikely to see the power and skills of New Zealand teams being almost unbeatable as in the past.If a Sevens player shows his ability he will be snapped up by the Super 14 franchises the next season.Sevens rugby has become the national sport of Fiji and that nation appears to be the dominant force in future.

Agloco is the first Internet based economic network…

 Agloco is the first Internet based economic network…

Agloco is the first Internet based economic network, which enables you as a Member to Get your share of the internet. Sound good?

Agloco is a global community of Internet users whose members can be paid for All of their online activity.Sounding even better?

While present in beta, their will be a downloadable Viewbar which will record all your time on the Internet, regardless of what activity you are involved with – you use, you benefit! Sounding fantastic?

It does to me and I’m inviting to use my referal link to visit, appraise and join up to Agloco if you like the sound of it!

You use the Internet – companies make money – companies pay Agloco – Agloco pays you! That sounds absolutely fantastic to me!

My url: http://www.agloco.com/r/bbbvo370

<a href=”http://www.agloco.com/r/bbbvo370&#8243; mce_href=”http://www.agloco.com/r/bbbvo370″>Please Visit</a

Just who was the sucker?

 A recent story from down under:A tannery worker in New Zealand was accidently overpaid by his employer, receiving $201.00 per hour instead of the normal $13.00 per hour.

The error was discovered when another worker told management that his workmate was bragging about being overpaid.He was called in by his boss and was asked to repay the money. He agreed to repay the overpayment of $3620.00 at $75.00 a week, but then quit the job and refused to contine making repayments!

His employer made a claim to the Employment Relations Authority, who not only ordered the former worker to repay the money,but also ordered him to make a $500.00 contribution to legal costs.

Just who was the sucker?

A 300 kg Dolphin slamdunks woman on her boat – critically injured!

A 300kg Dolphin slamdunks woman on her boat – critically injured!

 What an incredible accident – 300kg Blue Nose Dolphin slamdunks woman on her boat. While sitting on the bow of her boat, 27 yr old Auckland woman, Kelly James, was almost killed and critically injured when the Dolphin miscalculated its dive and hit her in the chest area causing severe internal injuries, knocking her unconscious, and causing her to go into cardiac arrest. A group of friends relaxing on a beach after Christmas witnessed the accident after watching a an excited pod of Dolphins; and a smaller Dolphin do a corkscrew dive followed by the larger Dolphin bellyflopping onto the bow of the boat after totally miscalculating its dive. Everybody freaked out, they claimed! One of the many boaties in the vicinity rang for help. The Westpac Rescue helicopter arrived later to take the injured woman to hospital. The woman went into cardiac arrest a second time while waiting for the helicopter to arrive.A second woman on the boat was treated for minor cuts and bruises, and considers herself as extremely lucky. Otago University Marine Mammal Biologist, Steve Dawson, said the accident was extremely unusual and was probably caused by a” miscalculation” by the Dolphin. There were a lot of boats in the vicinity too, which probably upset the pod of Dolphins there. Dolphins rarely hurt humans.These Dolphins can weigh up to 600kg, it has been claimed.

Kelly James is still recovering from her severe injures. She will undergo a period of rehabilitation in coming weeks.

New Zealand is the destination of choice for Australians!

 New Zealand is the destination of choice for Australians! It’s not Britain, Canada or the United States but New Zealand as the top destination for those Aussies leaving permanently.

Last year 13,915 Australians stated they intended to settle in New Zealand. During the same period 19,003 New Zealanders moved to Australia.

A total of 67,853 people left Australia permanently during the 2005-2006, up from 62,606 the previous year and 59,078 in 2003-2004, Australian Immigration Department figures showed recently.

Britain was the second most popular destinations for Australians(12,040), followed by the United States(6,987), Hong Kong(5,379), China(3,952), and Singapore(3,600).

However, one in five migrants to Australia were from Britain.

The latest statistics highlighted Australia’s popularity as a migration destination.

Increased immigration and emigration showed the global labour market was becoming more competitive every year.

Just wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Just wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from New Zealand.

Just reflect for a moment on those who won’t be having a good time this Christmas through poverty, privation and war!

Let us all hope that the next year brings happiness to all in this old world of our’s.

Come and join the Trinity debate – give us your valued opinion!

 The following has proven very popular at a number of my other blogsites. Please read on! Give us your opinion!

Should we believe in the Trinity – the Trinity debate? Write your opinion. Put your money where your mouth is.Blog up a storm!

Do you personally believe in the Trinity? I was actually brought up to believe in it from my earliest days at Sunday School, so many decades ago, when most of my generation attended regularly every Sunday morning.

It appears to me that it has always been a central doctrine of the church.I believe that it has always been there, just like the Cross. Should it be a subject that is more than just a passing interest? So I looked for some information from an organisation that obviously knows a little bit about the subject.The following is from The Watchtower magazine, with thanks!

Various Trinitarian concepts exist. But generally the Trinity teaching is that in the Godhead there are three persons, Father,Son and Holy Ghost; yet together they are but one God. The doctrine says that the three are co-equal, almighty, and uncreated, having existed in the Godhead.

Others, however, say that the Trinity doctrine is false, that Almighty God stands alone as a separate, eternal, and all-powerful being. They say that Jesus in his pre-human existence was, like the angels, a separate spirit person created by God, and for this reason he must have had a beginning.They teach that Jesus has never been Almighty God’s equal in any sense; he has always been subject to God and still is.They also believe that the Holy Ghost is not a person but God’s spirit, his active force.

Supporters of the Trinity say that it is founded not on religious tradition but also on the Bible.Critics of the doctrine say that it is not a Bible teaching, one history source even declaring:” The origin of the Trinity is entirely pagan.” – THE PAGAN IN OUR CHRISTIANITY.

If the Trinity is true, it is degrading to Jesus to say he was never equal to God as part of the Godhead. But if the Trinity is false, it is degrading to Almighty God to call anyone his equal, and even worse to call Mary the ” Mother of God”. If the Trinity is false, it dishonors God to say as noted in the book of Catholicism: “Unless people keep their faith whole and undefiled without doubt they shall perish forever- lastingly.And the Catholic Faith is this: we worship one God in Trinity.”

How is the Trinity explained?

The Roman Catholic Church states: The Father is God,the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God, In this Trinity…the Persons are co-eternal and co-equal: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent – the Catholic Encyclopedia. Nearly all other churches in Christendom also agree.

But wait a minute there, Jesus is the Son of God, not God the Father. How can he be the Father of Himself?

Furthermore, Islam believes that Jesus was but one of the great Prophets, not the Son of God, just to throw another spanner in the works!

What do you believe? Give us your valued opinion!

Who are the shadowy figures behind Fiji’s fourth coup in four years?

 Fiji’s fourth  coup is now a grim reality and will not help the average Fijian – this is all about political power, money and corruption. Who are the shadowy figures behind the scene – the real corrupt ones? Just who is going to gain from turning Fiji into a banana state?

Probably for the first time it wasn’t really racially inspired with the intent of removing Indo- Fijians from power.The motive appears to be around a corrupt administration? Gun-power, money and corruption! Who are the shadowy figures behind the scenes?

The leader of the Fijian Defence Force, Commodore Bainimarama finally took over power at the point of a gun – after days of a “phoney war” – the takeover was actually delayed until after a rugby game between the Army and the Police. The farcical almost Disney- like situation became grim reality. Now comes the reality of the corruption, money and political power seekers!

The Prime Minister was deposed, put under house arrest and the administration was sacked and given a month’s salary. Soldiers stormed the gate of the PM’s house and demanded the keys to his official vehicles. He has fled to his home island by private plane, after refusing a ride home by boat from the military. Do you blame him?

Commodore Bainimarama has appointed a 77 year old Army doctor with no political experience as acting prime minister. The doctor has accepted the possibility of future actions because of their illegal actions, but he was quite philosophical about things and mentioned his age – 77 years. A new administration will be appointed soon.Then we will see the source of the corruption, the money- men and the political power seekers!

There is a defiant mood emanating from this bunch of rebels: New Zealand, probably Fiji’s closest friend, has been told to mind their business; New Zealand, along with Britain and Australia have threatened withdrawal of all aid. All Fijian military, their families and sports teams (apart from the international IRB sanctioned New Zealand Sevens tournament in Wellington, early in 2007)have been banned! Some military personnel and their families have already been deported.The United Nations could dismiss the Fijian peacekeepers around the globe. This would have economic ramifications in the future for that country, because it is a significant proportion of their income. Just where will the money come from then? Indonesia, Taiwan or China?

As if to put the economic boot into Fiji, the owners of a privately owned Gold Mine in Fiji which employs 1,700 people, have announced the closure of the mine because it is no longer economically viable; and had nothing to do with the political situation in that country; actually I think it does have something to do with the existing corruption, the money-men and the political power seekers. The Commonwealth Secretary-General has stated that Fiji would be dismissed from membership of that body in the near future, unless the situation improved quickly.

It is,indeed, a sad day in paradise. The tourist promotion used to say: “Fiji, the way the world should be!” Yeah right! Now welcome to a classic example of a banana state? Gun-power, money and corruption.