Maori Culture

Maori Culture

Māori are the tangata whenua (indigenous people of the land) of New Zealand and their culture is an integral part of New Zealand life. About 15% of the country’s population of 3.8 million is of Māori descent. Māori are a tribal people and their tribes are known as iwi. Visitors to New Zealand are presented with many opportunities to experience Māori culture first-hand. Best known of these is the geo-thermal region of Rotorua in the North Island, where tourists can enjoy Māori kai (food) cooked on hot stones underground as part of a traditional hangi. They can also enjoy a Māori powhiri (welcome), visit local marae (meeting houses), listen to kapa haka (traditional performances of song and dance) and relax in the popular thermal pools. Māori culture forms the basis of New Zealand culture and is the essence of its society.

In recent times there has been a revival in traditional waka design, building and navigation techniques.   Taking a tree from the forest is a solemn event for Maori people. Carvers feel great responsibility to produce artwork of visual and historical significance. There are four main non-human head forms that, together with the surface patterns, help to symbolically communicate messages for generations. You can see more in Maori carving than just the impressive chisel skills of the carver. Photo credit: Ben Crawford		Kapa haka, the term used to describe Maori performance art, incorporates singing, dancing and facial expressions. Every action has a meaning, which ties to the words. You can expect to see kapa haka performances during a marae stay or at a Maori concert. The national competitions are held every two years. Photo credit: Nick Servian