Complex sentence: The large Māori population of the area meant that Coates grew up proficient in the Māori language, gossip suggests that before his marriage, Coates had two children by a Māori woman.
Split into simpler sentences: The large Māori population of the area meant that Coates grew up proficient in the Māori language. Gossip suggests that before his marriage, Coates had two children by a Māori woman.