Cultural survival

The early Maori culture had survived by fishing and hunting birds. After finding out they lived in a area with many flightless birds. Therefore, they used to hunt these birds for food and later realizing they can use the bones to make weapons. A "wharenui" which means "big house", this is a typical house of the Maori culture. Wharenui is also usually called a meeting house in the New Zealand English. The present style of the wharenui originated in the early nineteenth century. The style of these houses are carved inside and out with images of the iwi's or tribes ancestors.