Who Are The Maori People
Discovering who our ancestors are is an important part of understanding who we are. I feel it's important to bring attention to all cultures so that everyone has an opportunity to know who their ancestors are. In today's blog I will be writing about a culture that is not part of my ancestry and I look forward to getting to know more about the people. Today we are going to journey to the Maori People.
Who Are the Maori People? The Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. They originated in New Zealand by canoe voyages from Eastern Polynesia somewhere between 1320 and 1350. Being isolated over centuries they developed their own distinctive culture that had a different language, mythology, crafts, and arts that was different from those other cultures of Eastern Polynesia.
In the Maori language the word Maori means normal or ordinary. It is said that it would distinguish ordinary humans from deities and spirits.
Traditional Maori beliefs originated from Polynesian culture. Tapu (sacred) Noa (non sacred) mana (authority) and Wairua (spirit) governed the everyday living of the Maori as well as several deities. It is common practice to remove one's shoes before entering a meeting house out of respect for the ancestors.
Cultural performances such as Waita (song), haka (dance) tauparapara (chants) and moteatea (poetry) are used by Maori to express and pass on knowledge and understanding about history, communities, and relationships.
Art, music and dance are an important part of the Maori culture. Some forms of art tradition include whakairo (carving), Raranga (weaving) and Ta moko (tatooing).
Maori People are known as great storytellers because they did not have a written language until Colonization in the 1800s. Their language existed and evolved for centuries and was passed down orally by songs and stories.
The traditional form of greeting in Maori culture is known as the hongi. This involves two people pressing their noses and foreheads against each other and sharing the breath of life together.
The first European Settlers to New Zealand arrived in 1642. Initial contact was violent with people on both sides being killed. Over the years they would eventually encounter European and American sealers and whalers as well as Christian missionaries. These encounters were both peaceful and fatal.
European settlement began in the 19th century which led to an extensive sharing of cultures and ideas. Many of the Maori looked at it as a way to acquire Western knowledge and technology. But, just like in other places the British aristocracy had other plans. Even though they tried to do peace treaties with the British, the Maoris would eventually be considered “barbarians' ' by the aristocracy and would later have their lands taken from them. Many Maoris would lose their lives through bloodshed and disease brought on by the Colonization of the British aristocracy. The Europeans envisioned that the Maoris would eventually assimilate into British culture and the Maori culture woukd no longer exist.
However, after all of the disaster brought onto them during the 19th century, The Maori culture began to recover in the 20th century. They continue to be a strong part of the New Zealand country today. In 2018 there were approximately 775,000 Maoris in New Zealand which is 16.5% of the population.
The Maori People are simikar to other indigenous peoples from around the globe in tha their culture has had to fight to survive and overcome the Colonization of the British aristocracy.
I hope this brief overview gives you and basic understanding of the history and culture of the Maori People. I have discovered so many more topics in my research that I will write future blogs on to help us get a deeper understanding of the Maori culture.
Blessings!
By Michael Walters
The Ancestor's Fire
Writing the voices of the unheard
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