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Antarctic Trips by Maori 1000 Years Ago Ridiculed

Maori in Antarctica. Image credit The BFD.

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“Research” published by the New Zealand Royal Society that claimed Maori travelled to the Antarctic at least 1000 years before Europeans was ridiculed this week as unadulterated nonsense by straight-talking knight Sir Bob Jones. See Disgraceful NZ Royal Society

The so-called “research” by a conservation biologist Priscilla Wehi was based on oral history and the rest was speculation, Sir Bob wrote.

The ludicrous Antarctic story was reported by the New Zealand Herald in a subdued manner, qualifying Wehi’s farcical claim by a headline saying “Maori may have discovered Antarctica”

However, a recent check shows that the Herald headline headed into hyperbole by saying “Polynesians first to discover Antarctica not news to Maori”. See First to discover Antarctica

Was that a straight headline or did the sub-editor (if the Herald still has sub-editors) write that with tongue firmly in cheek?

Sir Bob said that the New Zealand Royal Society “continues to disgrace its British parent body’s prescribed rationale of absolute respect for factual scientific evidence every time it touches on Maori issues”.

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