20.9 Suggesting a Chronology for Some Early Migrations to New Zealand
361
of traditions relating to early migrations, he cites dozens of place names given by
migrants, arriving after the end of the global cold period, to the places they explored
[10]. The place names listed in our discussion of Maui the Navigator’s visit to New
Zealand in Chapter 16 are a good example of explorers celebrating their discoveries by naming prominent features of the land they are exploring, as are traditional
accounts of the explorations of Rakaihautu and his party in the South Island of New
Zealand. Place names frequently record the names and experiences of members of
the exploring parties. The routes taken by those exploring the land are carefully
recorded, their discoveries – mountains, lakes, rivers – named and by implication
claimed.
20.9 Suggesting a Chronology for Some Early Migrations
to New Zealand
The task of assigning dates to some of the early migrations recorded in tradition
as reaching New Zealand is not easy. Genealogies may not reach back to founding events, may be limited in length, may not be connected to those of other
areas or other canoe lines and may not be associated with events or persons who
can be dated. Generation lengths may vary from area to area and over time. In
some cases, where something is known of the history of a migrating canoe and
of the subsequent history of the migrants it brought to New Zealand, there is
hope of linking the migration event to climate proxy data. But in many cases,
because we lack genealogical information, we cannot hope to make the needed
correlations.
For early migrations to New Zealand for which there is some genealogical data
(the basis for Beattie’s chronological estimates [11]) the most convincing correlations of migrations with climate events involve extreme El Niño events, the pattern
we have observed for significant voyaging events in Eastern Polynesia.
The date for Ui-te-Rangiora’s voyage to New Zealand (AD 689), linked to a
level 5+ El Niño and an associated El Niño cluster, can be compared with Beattie’s
suggested, genealogically derived, date of 650. A paired level 4 and level 5 El Niño
give a date of 841/2 for Rakaihautu’s migration (dated by Beattie to 825). For Kupe
and Ngahue’s voyage to New Zealand, which Beattie dates to AD 925, there is a
choice between a level 5 El Niño in 903 and a level 5+ El Niño in 967.
We note that Beattie discusses three Kupes recorded in South Island traditions
[12]. One Kupe he describes as “very early”, one he dates to 1,300 and third he
dates to 925. Beattie offers evidence that shows that the Kupe who voyaged to New
Zealand with Ngahue in 925 knew of Maui’s visit to New Zealand over 800 years
before. He referred to New Zealand as Tiritiri-o-te-moana (Maui’s name for the
South Island).
Beattie’s estimates for early migrations to New Zealand led by descendants of
Maui, up to and including Rakaihautu, were based on genealogies preserved in
the South Island. There are only small variations between his estimates, based on
361
of traditions relating to early migrations, he cites dozens of place names given by
migrants, arriving after the end of the global cold period, to the places they explored
[10]. The place names listed in our discussion of Maui the Navigator’s visit to New
Zealand in Chapter 16 are a good example of explorers celebrating their discoveries by naming prominent features of the land they are exploring, as are traditional
accounts of the explorations of Rakaihautu and his party in the South Island of New
Zealand. Place names frequently record the names and experiences of members of
the exploring parties. The routes taken by those exploring the land are carefully
recorded, their discoveries – mountains, lakes, rivers – named and by implication
claimed.
20.9 Suggesting a Chronology for Some Early Migrations
to New Zealand
The task of assigning dates to some of the early migrations recorded in tradition
as reaching New Zealand is not easy. Genealogies may not reach back to founding events, may be limited in length, may not be connected to those of other
areas or other canoe lines and may not be associated with events or persons who
can be dated. Generation lengths may vary from area to area and over time. In
some cases, where something is known of the history of a migrating canoe and
of the subsequent history of the migrants it brought to New Zealand, there is
hope of linking the migration event to climate proxy data. But in many cases,
because we lack genealogical information, we cannot hope to make the needed
correlations.
For early migrations to New Zealand for which there is some genealogical data
(the basis for Beattie’s chronological estimates [11]) the most convincing correlations of migrations with climate events involve extreme El Niño events, the pattern
we have observed for significant voyaging events in Eastern Polynesia.
The date for Ui-te-Rangiora’s voyage to New Zealand (AD 689), linked to a
level 5+ El Niño and an associated El Niño cluster, can be compared with Beattie’s
suggested, genealogically derived, date of 650. A paired level 4 and level 5 El Niño
give a date of 841/2 for Rakaihautu’s migration (dated by Beattie to 825). For Kupe
and Ngahue’s voyage to New Zealand, which Beattie dates to AD 925, there is a
choice between a level 5 El Niño in 903 and a level 5+ El Niño in 967.
We note that Beattie discusses three Kupes recorded in South Island traditions
[12]. One Kupe he describes as “very early”, one he dates to 1,300 and third he
dates to 925. Beattie offers evidence that shows that the Kupe who voyaged to New
Zealand with Ngahue in 925 knew of Maui’s visit to New Zealand over 800 years
before. He referred to New Zealand as Tiritiri-o-te-moana (Maui’s name for the
South Island).
Beattie’s estimates for early migrations to New Zealand led by descendants of
Maui, up to and including Rakaihautu, were based on genealogies preserved in
the South Island. There are only small variations between his estimates, based on