New Zealand's Tangata Whenua (People of the Land)

New Zealand's indigenous people came from tropical Polynesia more than 1000 years ago. Learning to live in New Zealand shaped their thinking and their beliefs until they became Te Māori, a race clearly distinct from other Polynesian cultures.

Carving of Maui and his brothers, Te Papa, Wellington.

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Māori oral history names Kupe as the first explorer to discover New Zealand. He and his companion, Ngahue, captained two sea-going waka (canoes), Matahorua and Tawiri-rangi, and sailed south from Hawaiki to see what lay beyond the horizon.

The mighty waka Ngatokimatawhaorua, inside the waka shelter at Waitangi

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The first sign of a major land mass was a build up of white cloud in the distance. Kupe's wife, Hine-te-aparangi, called out "He ao he ao! He aotea! He aotearoa" ("A cloud, a cloud! A white cloud! A long white cloud!), and so the land was named Aotearoa - 'Land of the long white cloud'. After circumnavigating the North and South Islands of Aotearoa, Kupe and his crew returned to Hawaiki with treasures such as preserved moa flesh and pounamu (greenstone).

The story of Kupe's remarkable voyage, and other such endeavours, were passed on from one generation to the next through storytelling and song [ The Story of Kupe and Te Wheke] . When disputes and warfare disrupted life in Hawaiki, several groups decided to leave their homeland and travel south to occupy the land discovered by their ancestor Kupe. A Massey University study of DNA taken from modern Māori confirms this account.


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FAST FACT:

According to Maori legend, the Southern Alps were formed when Te Waka o Aoraki (the canoe of Aoraki) was stranded. The canoe then turned to stone, becoming the Southern Alps. The god Aoraki was sitting on the highest part of the waka, hence Aoraki (Mount Cook) is the highest mountain.

Today Māori people live throughout New Zealand, and many are actively involved with keeping their culture and language alive. Within any Māori community, the marae provides a focus for social, cultural and spiritual life. The term marae describes a communal 'plaza' area that includes a wharenui (meeting house) and wharekai (dining room).

Māori people define themselves by their iwi (tribe), hapu (sub-tribe), maunga (mountain) and awa (river). Whanau is the name given to family - the term embraces immediate family, in-laws and all those connected by blood ties.

In recent years, the introduction of Māori language nests (kohanga reo) has revived the Māori language. At kohanga reo, preschool children are encouraged to speak in Māori. Primary and secondary schools build on this early immersion by including Māori in the curriculum.

Maui Fishing up the North Island, W. Dittmer, 1907 - click for more.

1907 illustration of Maui fishing up the North Island

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The tradition of oral history - the telling of ancient stories, myths and legends - continues today. On many marae, elders teach tribal lore, etiquette and genealogy. They also retell the stories that form the basis of Māori beliefs, including the story of how Maui fished up the North Island [ The story of He Ika A Maui

] and how the saddleback got it's name [ The story of Maui and Tieke

] .

Traditional carvers also help to keep Māori culture alive by creating intricate works that pay respect to the past. Every piece carved tells a story, which can be read by those who know how. The shape of the heads, position of the body as well as the surface patterns work together to record and remember events.

The ancient beliefs of Māori culture are recognised and respected by New Zealand's leaders today. Recently, a North Island roading project was modified to avoid disturbing a taniwha (water monster). In its original form, the roading project would have encroached on a swamp which is the home of a one-eyed taniwha, Karutahi. The local tribe, Ngati Naho, believes the taniwha spends half the year in the swamp. It has a second home in the Waikato River, to which it swims during floods. To ensure that the swamp is undisturbed, Transit New Zealand has altered its plans so that this historic site is preserved.