Māori Culture

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.

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.

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Māori Tourism

Māori Tourism in New Zealand started over 130 years ago with local Māori guiding visitors through the Central Plateau region of Aotearoa New Zealand. You can now enjoy a Māori experience with a variety of options. Take a look at our Māori Tourism section...(more)

Indigenous Culture

The Māori people are the indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and first arrived here in waka hourua (voyaging canoes) from their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki over 1000 years ago. Today, Māori make up over 14 percent of the population. Their language and culture has a major impact on all facets of New Zealand life.

Rich and Varied

Māori culture is a rich and varied one, and includes traditional and contemporary arts. Traditional arts such as carving, weaving, kapa haka (group performance), whaikorero (oratory) and moko (tattoo) are practised throughout the country. Practitioners following in the footsteps of their tipuna (ancestors) replicate the techniques used hundreds of years ago, yet also develop exciting new techniques and forms. Today Māori culture also includes art, film, television, poetry, theatre, and hip-hop.

Stories and Legends

Māori is an oral culture rich with stories and legends. The Māori creation story describes the world being formed by the violent separation of Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, by their children. Many Māori carvings and artworks graphically depict this struggle... (more)

The Haka

The orgins of the haka are deeply rooted in the mists of time. It is a history rich in folklore and legend that reflects Māori heritage. New Zealand has grown up immersed in haka since first encounters between Māori and early European explorers, missionaries and settlers...(more)

Te Reo Māori - the Māori Language

The visitor to New Zealand will become immediately aware of the Māori language as the vast majority of place names are of Māori origin. At first, visitors may be puzzled by the seemingly impossible-to-pronounce names. In fact, Māori has a logical structure, and, unlike English, has very consistent rules of pronunciation.

How Do You Say Onehunga, Whangamomona, Kahikatea, and Nguru? Māori consists of five vowel sounds: a e i o u ('a' as in 'car', 'e' as in 'egg', 'i' like the 'ee' in 'tee', 'o' (pronounced or), 'u' like an 'o' in 'to'). There are eight consonants in Māori similar to those in English - 'h', 'k', 'm', 'n', 'p', 'r', 't', and 'w'. There are also two different consonants - 'wh' and 'ng'. Many Māori pronounce the 'wh' sound similar to our 'f'. The 'ng' is similar to our own 'ng' sound in a word like 'sing', except that in Māori, words can start with 'ng'.

Kia ora = Gidday!

An attempt by a visitor to use Māori greetings will almost certainly elicit a delighted response from both Māori and Pakeha (European) New Zealanders.

Kia ora - Hello
Kia ora tatou - Hello everyone
Tena koe - Greetings to you (said to one person)
Tena koutou - Greeting to you all
Haere mai - Welcome
Nau mai - Welcome
Kei te pehea koe? - How's it going?
Kei te pai - Good
Tino pai - Really good
Haere ra - Farewell
Ka kite ano - Until I see you again (Bye)
Hei konei ra - See you later

Māori Protocol

Being a tribal Polynesian people, Māori have a unique protocol. The best place to observe it is on a marae (Māori meeting grounds). Many tourist operators in New Zealand organise visits to marae.

Welcome to the Powhiri

A powhiri (formal welcome) at a marae begins with wero (challenge). A warrior from the tangata whenua (hosts) will challenge the manuhiri (guests). He may carry a spear (taiaha) then lay down a token (often a small branch) that the manuhiri will pick up to show they come in peace. Some kuia (women) from the tangata whenua (hosts) will perform a karanga (call/chant) to the manuhiri. Women from the manuhiri will then respond as they move onto the marae in front of their men.

Whaikorero - Speeches of Welcome

Once inside the wharenui (meeting house) on the marae, mihimihi (greetings) and whaikorero (speeches) are made. To reinforce the good wishes of the speeches, waiata (songs) may be sung. It is usual for the manuhiri to then present a koha (gift) to the tangata whenua after greeting the hosts with a hongi - the ceremonial touching of noses. After the powhiri, kai (food) may be shared.

Fishing Up An Island

The creation of New Zealand is described by the legend of Maui. This god was a cheeky trickster who managed, among other things, to harness the sun in order to make the days longer. However, his biggest claim to fame was his fishing up of the North Island, which is described as Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui). A look at an aerial map of the North Island will show how closely it resembles a fish.

Māori believe the far north to be the tail of the fish and Wellington Harbour the mouth. Māori describe the South Island as Maui's waka (canoe) and Stewart Island (Rakiura) as his punga (anchor).