Nunuku's peace law

Nunuku’s peace law

Laws were important to the Moriori people because they wanted their land back but they wanted to do it peacefully.  

In Rekohu there was a lot of fighting, many people died because of the fights. There was a chief there whose name was Nunuku and he was sick of all the violence so he made a law that no one was allowed to fight or to kill.

If two people started a fight they were allowed to hit each other with a wooden club but they weren't allowed to draw blood. If they did, they were punished severely.

Because the Moriori kept this law when some Maori tribes took their land many people were killed and the rest enslaved. Later the Moriori land was given to one of these tribes.  

In 1988 the Moriori signed a contract with the Waitangi tribunal trying to get the return of their land, fishing rights and recognition of their identity and culture.

In 2001 the Hokotehi Moriori trust was asked to represent the Moriori people. Four years later they got back their share of fishing rights.

 

by Danielle