In many ways, Māori perspectives and pakehā (white European settler) perspectives are similar. Both groups have a strong attachment to the environment, making it an important influence on their way of life. For Māori people, this stems from being connected physically with nature. They generally believe that they are one with the environment around them. Therefore, protecting the environment and all of its resources also means protecting themselves. For pākehā, protecting the environment is driven by the desire to prevent climate change and to use the resources we need from nature in a sustainable way.
Both Māori and pākehā historically relied on trade to grow their economies, and they still do. When settlers arrived on New Zealand shores, they learned that the Māori already had unique trading systems set up with the iwi (tribes) scattered across the islands. They traded items such as kūmara (sweet potatoes), jade stones and eel. The settlers began trading with Māori people, too, giving them muskets, clothes and other food items that they brought with them from England.
To strengthen the ties between Māori and pākehā perspectives, the Treaty of Waitangi was agreed and ratified in 1840.
