"The purpose of history is to understand the past and shed light on the present. [This book] does this for Maori history. ... [It] analyses who Maori are, where they came from, how their ancestors reached Aotearoa New Zealand, how their culture developed in response to New Zealand conditions, and how Maori life changed as a result of the European presence. It provides a context for understanding the Treaty of Waitangi, the recent Maori renaissance and calls for tino rangatiratanga. In particular it explains how and why Maori culture has persisted in the face of enormous odds against its survival. ..."--Back cover.