The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand whose origins trace back to Polynesian settlers who arrived in great canoes in the 13th century. Maori culture is expressed through intricate art forms including wood carvings, weaving, and tattooing which illustrate myths and mark important life events. Their oral traditions and performances of song, dance, and war cries help preserve cultural identity. While Maori traditions have evolved, a spiritual and social code called tapu continues to influence their way of life.

1. Culture
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It is believed that in the late 13th century, a great
fleet of seven canoes plied the waters of the Pacific
to New Zealand, and in those great canoes, arrived
a mysterious, leather-skinned tribe. For decades,
the tribe that became known as Maori, bore highly
speculated origins; did they come from Greece or
Egypt? The slant and swirl of their accents belied
a connection to Sanskrit, missionaries muttered
amongst themselves that they must be one of the
Text Brionie Pereira
A look at the fascinating, layered culture of New Zealand’s
indigenous people, the Maori, whose identity is intricately
illustrated through art, song, dance and divinity.
The
of the
markMaori
lost tribes of Israel. The mysterious tribe had its
own stories too—of a demi-god named Mauri with
magical powers, who snuck into his brothers’ boat
on a fishing sojourn. Far from shore, Mauri slipped
his magic fish-hook into the water and began to
feel a very strong tug. He yelled for the aid of his
brothers, and up came writhing the Fish of Maui,
whose head is considered the North Island of New
Zealand, its tail the South Island.
Carving of a Maori
deity in Rotorua,
an area in North
Island that is famous
for its inherent
Maori culture.
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Right: A carving
at Tieke Marae, a
meeting house in the
Tieke Kainga Maori
community next to
Whanganui river in
New Zealand.
Below: An outdoor
fence depicting
traditional Maori
warriors.
Culture
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Never mind that the Maori actually came from East
Polynesia. They are, today, an inextricable part of
New Zealand’s spirit, or ‘wairua’, as they might call
it. Their culture, ‘Maoritanga’ has been distended
and preserved from ancestor to ancestor, through
the ritual of storytelling and art forms, rich with an
insidious narrative and symbolism.
God’s illustrators
Amongst the Maori tribe, lived the Tohunga
Whakairo, master carvers believed to be channels
for the Gods, who communicated with them
through the blow, chip and chisel of wood. The
Maori believe that all things posses a spirit, and
so trees, considered descendants of Tane, god of
the forest, were felled only after prayer and ritual.
Maori carvings, unlike other Polynesian art, are
characterised by spiralled and swirling patterns
known as ‘koru’ rather than straight lines. A side-
faced, bird-like creature known as Manaia, also
found on Easter Island and in Peru, makes several
cameos in Maori carvings along with ocean gods,
deep-sea monsters and other mythical creatures.
The only animal that makes an appearance in
carvings is the lizard, widely revered among the
tribe as an avatar of God, found inscribed on the
doors of houses and on the lids of tombs, signifying
a protective purpose.

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Clockwise from left:
A Maori tattooed
tribal chief, circa
1900; Koru, a very
popular Maori
symbol; A woollen
skirt woven in a
Maori pattern.
Culture
their homeland, they adopted the art of weaving,
known as ‘raranga’, in order to adapt to the climate.
Becoming acquainted with all 500 types of flax
found in New Zealand, distinguished by their unique
purposes, the Maori fashioned baskets, cloaks, mats
and skirts with techniques that are still used today.
Investiture by ink
Another trademark (literally) of the Maori is Ta
Moko, the art of tattooing, believed to have been
brought to them through the tumultuous affair
of a man named Mataora with a princess of the
underworld. While we have our identity cards, the
Maori have their tattoos (mokos), a facial roadmap
of their lives, marking every important moment. The
most distinguished of the tribe had faces—because
the head is considered the most important part of
the body—intricately inked with ‘moko’, markings
of social status, power, tenacity and virility, wielded
via a bone chisel. ‘Uma’, on the temples, implies a
first or second marriage, while ‘taitoto’ on the jaws
tells of one’s birth status, and so on. Ancestry is
indicated on both sides of the face.
Women’s lips were outlined with dark blue, and the chin moko was
an extremely popular tattoo that endured till the ‘70s.
VISIT: The Auckland Museum, Museum of
New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington,
Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum or Te
Puia, New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute
and Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Village in
Rotorua, to see authentic Maori artefacts and
cultural performances.
The Koru is the most ubiquitous Maori symbol used
in all their art; it is a spiral shape, inspired by a
freshly unfurling silver fern, and symbolises peace,
strength and new beginnings, the circle signifying
continuity and change, and the inner coil implying a
return to the source or point of origin.
Most Maori carvings are finished with red ochre
called ‘kokowai’, an auspicious colour used in a
number of spiritual and traditional ceremonies. They
often looked for a red glow in the sky as an omen of
auspicious events to come.
When the first wave of Polynesians migrated to
chilly New Zealand from the tropical climates of
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4. Above: Cape Reinga in
the North Island is the
most sacred spot for
the Maori.
Below: A little Maori
child performs the
traditional Haka
dance in Rotorua,
New Zealand.
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Getting there
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Accommodation
Auckland has a variety of accommodation options, including boutique
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in Central Auckland, within walking distance of the Auckland Museum,
shopping and motorway access points (auckland.langhamhotels.co.nz).
For more information
Log on to www.newzealand.com
Considered a rite of passage, tattooing
traditionally began at puberty, accompanied by
elaborate rituals, flute music and chanting to
ease the pain. An extremely long, painful and
daunting process, the tattooed Maori would
only be able to eat liquidated food and water
through a wooden funnel until the tattoo
healed, and abstain from intimacy. Women’s
lips were outlined with dark blue, and the chin
moko was an extremely popular tattoo that
endured till the ‘70s.
The law of the land
It is easy to see the beauty of the Maori
culture through its overt manifestations, but
what sets their culture apart is the esoteric
undercurrent behind the art, the rituals and
the way of living. A delicate balance between
relying on nature and worshipping things that
could be considered ‘supernatural’. This balance
is encompassed by ‘tapu’, the spiritual and
social code by which the Maori live their lives,
based on sanctity and respect (‘mana’) for each
other and their environment. Anything that is
tapu is inviolable, and the law permeates every
aspect of the Maori’s life, be it their personal
relationships or social hierarchy. Although most
traditions of tapu are no longer practised, it is
still an integral part of each Maori’s life.
The Maori hold holy the northern tip of the
North Island, known as Cape Reinga, believed
to be a portal for the departure of spirits to
Hawaiki, their ancestral home. Many Maori
consider it tapu for people to take photographs
at this spiritual spot.
A language of limbs
What makes Maoritanga particularly vibrant are
its oral traditions and language. Storytelling is
not just limited to language, but transcribed into
invigorating song and dance. The Kapa Haka, a
synchronised performance of song and dance,
characterised by war cries and foot stomping, is
a way in which this indigenous tribe expresses its
cultural identity. It is performed till date, made
famous by New Zealand’s rugby team, who perform
it before every match they play.
The Maori language itself has had a topsy-turvy
ride through the decades, from dominant to a
fast diminishing one. Since 1975, the Kiwis have
celebrated Maori Language Week in order to
encourage its use in different spheres. In fact, New
Zealand English has taken many loanwords from the
indigenous language, with phrases such as ‘kia ora’
frequently used as a colloquial form of greeting.
The language revival is subsumed by a larger
cultural renaissance, working to preserve this
precious culture that has become such a huge part
of the essence of New Zealand. n
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