What sort of health did the early maori have?

Answer 1

chances are that Maori actually had very good health.

As with any of the peoples who 'lived off the land', any genetic flaws or weaknesses were eventually 'weeded out' as the afflicted died off - of course, there were no hospitals and the tribe recognised that it would be to their own detriment to commit their resources to tending to the sickly, only to have the illnesses passed around the peers and on to offspring.

Herbal and natural remedies were used for most healing, and there are a few current practitioners still around today.

it was not until the European invasion that the indiginous peoples became especially sick, as they were exposed to new (to them) illnesses which they had not had the opportunity to build resistence against.

The average lifespan of a Maori was about 35 years. Their teeth would fall out from chewing all the fern root, their backs deteriorate from lifting heavy objects, and they had no hospitals, so they were lucky to live beyond 35 years of age.

AnswerMaori culture is like any other indigenous culture in the world by where the education is the responsibility of the whole community. Before the coming of the Pakeha (White Man) to New Zealand all literature in Maori was orally passed onto succeeding generations by the elders. This included many legends and waiata (song). The most recognised tradition is the "Haka" which is a war dance. When the child was old enough they would then enter what we call wananga (school of knowledge) where they were taught the laws and sacred knowledge of their people. Often they would also be taught in a special field of arts ie Carving, weaving, hunting, fishing, the art of oratory ect. These people were called Tohunga (Tohu = sign) the master in the art of reading signs from the gods. These wananga still exist today.