Talk of the Moriori has historically been used as a cudgel to beat Māori with when seeking redress from the evils of European colonization. It’s not that it’s taboo or no one cares, it’s that we’re weary of the motivations of people bringing it up and how they frame this history.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/03-08-2018/the-moriori-myth-an...