How early Maori may have felt when they first saw moa and the conditions they found in Aotearoa after leaving a much warmer home were subjects touched on at a talk given at Maheno School on Thursday.
University of Otago anthropology and archaeology head of department Prof Richard Walter gave a seminar to pupils from the school to mark the end of their term 1 projects on pre-1840s Aotearoa and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Principal Ryan Fraser said he was pleased with how his pupils responded to Prof Walter and how their work progressed over the term.
Prof Walter was in Oamaru last week to give a talk at the North Otago Museum on the prehistoric colonisation of Aotearoa.
Mr Fraser said the archaeologist’s visit was too good a chance to pass up and he asked if the professor would talk to his pupils.
Pupils Albert King and Oscar Collins (both 10), both of Herbert, said the talk was worthwhile.
Albert said the Waitaki River was one of the major early settlements for Maori.
"The Maori were the first people to arrive."
Oscar said it was "fun" to learn about indigenous culture.
Prof Walter said he was impressed by the calibre of questions asked, including whether a sharp rock could take "someone’s head off".
