Before the arrival of Europeans, New Zealand, or Aotearoa, was inhabited solely by the Māori people, who had arrived from Polynesia over a thousand years earlier. Their ancestors navigated vast distances across the Pacific Ocean, using their advanced knowledge of stars, winds, and ocean currents. They eventually settled in Aotearoa, forming distinct tribal communities known as iwi, each with its own territory, social structures, and traditions.

The Māori society was organized around iwi (tribes), hapū (sub-tribes), and whānau (families). Each iwi had a paramount chief, or rangatira, who was responsible for making decisions that affected the entire tribe. The rangatira was supported by a council of elders, or kaumatua, who provided guidance based on wisdom and experience. The hapū, made up of extended families, was the primary unit of Māori society, with a strong emphasis on kinship and collective responsibility.

Māori were deeply connected to the land, or whenua, and believed that their ancestors, the atua, or gods, imbued the earth, sea, and sky with sacred energy. This connection formed the foundation of Māori spiritual beliefs, which revolved around whakapapa (genealogy), mana (spiritual power or authority), and tapu (sacredness). Their spiritual worldview tied their identity to the land and natural resources, and they saw themselves as stewards, responsible for the care and preservation of the environment.