Maori Cultural Artifacts
During the first few weeks of this term we will be looking at Maori culture and protocol, leading up to a day visit to Papakura Marae in South Auckland.
This post will allow you to state your opinions and learn more about Maori arts, traditions and protocols; this will help you in your understandings of ‘What is culture?’ and also help you gain more information and insight into our country’s culture.
Below are some pictures and a video showing a small range of Maori cultural arts, traditions, and protocols. Your task is to choose one or two of the pictures or video and tell us - What is shown? What is happening? What does this mean to the culture? How are these things arts, traditions, and/or protocols?
I have used Picture 4 as the example to help guide you, please choose from the other 5 when you write. I have also included a couple of useful links for you on the Blogroll.
Next week there will be more pictures/videos to discuss.
47 Responses to “Maori Cultural Artifacts”
Leave a Reply
In Picture 4 a warrior is shown during part of the traditional powhiri (welcoming). He is from the tangata whenua and he is leading the wero (challenge). In this challenge he is gauging whether the manuhiri (visitors) are coming in peace or war. He will come forward and offer a rautapu. “If your intentions are friendly, then you must accept the rautapu, a leaf or carved effigy, and symbolic offering of peace.” (Tourism New Zealand, 2007). (Note: That reference is not the full address - leave that at the bottom.) The manuhiri will accept or reject the offer; rejection would mean that your intentions are not peaceful.
The wero has been used in Maori culture pre-european times, when it was seriously used to find out whether visitors were coming with war or peace. I believe that this continues today because not only has it been practiced for centuries, it allows for Maori tradition and culture to continue. I feel that when a culture loses these traditions and protocols then those people will be lost and may adapt to a culture that their ancestors would have been unfamiliar with; usually the majority culture - in our country I guess this is European. The powhiri and its components - including the wero are an example of culture because they are historical and they reflect practices that have been passed down over time; to me these are things that are special to the people of our country and of Maori heritage.
Full Reference - (author or site owner can often be found at the bottom of the webpage)
Tourism New Zealand. (2007). Taki - the challenge. Retrieved 7th October, 2007, from http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/powhiri/the-ceremony/taki-challenge.cfm
i think that the haka is a sign that they are not affraid of you come on and fight when the maoris are having wars with others like the all blacks do the haka because they are trying to say we are not affraid come on and play against us
Hi,
This is for the carving:
Te Toi Whakairo is the art of Māori carving, and Tohunga Whakairo were the great carvers - the master craftsmen. A master carver was highly considered. The Māori believed that the gods created and communicated through the master carvers.
Carving used to be a tapu art, subject to the rules and laws of tapu. The pieces of wood falling aside as the carver worked were never thrown away, neither were they used for the cooking of food. Women were not permitted near the carvings. The history, traditions, language and religion of the Māori make up an integral part of the carving art. To the Māori, all things possess a spirit (wairua), and a mauri (life force) (New Zealand in History, 2007).
Some carvings are over 500 yrs old and are commenly used. Some of the art repersents generations and also could relate to a Maori god. On the front of the Marae there is usally carvings on the entrance.
The marae is an ancestor. There is a tekoteko on the entrance of the marae and that repersents the ancestors head. The maihi, or carved parts of the tekoteko which slope down from the whare represents the ancestor’s arms. It welcomes visitors when they arrive.
New Zealand in History. (2007). The Maori-Arts and Crafts New Zealand in History. Retrieved 7th October, 2007, from
http://www.history-nz.org/maori4.html
Hi
I did my comment on the haka.
The haka (maori dance) was used for lots of things-not just as a war dance but for many more things such as welcoming to a maori marae.(Maori meeting house), or amusement. It is also a symbol of culture and tradition that a maori tribe has. Different tribes have different hakas.
“The group of people performing a haka is referred to as a kapa haka (kapa meaning row or rank). The Māori word haka has cognates in other Polynesian languages, for example: Tongan haka, ‘hand action while singing’; Samoan saʻa, Tokelau haka, Rarotongan ʻaka, Hawaiian haʻa” (Wikimedia Foundation Inc, 2007).
There was also different types of haka. These include,wha katu, wae wea, tu tu and peru peru.
Although a haka is usually performed by men it can also be performed by women, but with slightly more grace then men.
The haka plays a big part in maori culture and traditions.
Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (2007). Haka . Retrieved 7th October, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka
This is my comment for our homework task about Maori culture. I looked at the clip of the haka. The haka seems to be a very aggressive dance. According to the Maori legend which I read about on the back of an All Blacks Top Trumps Cards , Tama-nui-to-ra, the sun God, had two wives. They were the summer maid and the winter maid. The son that was born to the summer maid and Tama-nui-to-ra is the trembling of the air seen on hot days in summer which is represented by the trembling hands in the haka.
Great start Room 29 … but…You haven’t looked carefully at the model I have provided. I want you to try and reference properly. Louisa and Tessa, you can see I moved your link but it is still not written as I have suggested and I am also unsure of what part of the writing is your comment and which part you have copied/pasted from your link site. Remember that when you have cut something it needs to be clear which part is not your own - see the model, I have used “speech marks” to indicate which part is not mine.
You can edit it in the morning at school - I will log you in so you can do this.
Sammy and Jacob - add some more to your comments, you both need more opinion and information. This is a high level task for your age group, so try your best and ask me for help if you need it.
Follow the model for help and read the instructions -”Your task is to choose one or two of the pictures or video and tell us - What is shown/happening? What does this mean to the culture? How are these things arts, traditions, and/or protocols?”
This is a ‘Beginner’s Guide’ to referencing - it is pretty full on but look at pages 8 - for how to quote (see my website example) and look at pages 13-14 to see how to correctly use the website reference. Download the PDF version and save it for the future.
Hi!
I think for the carving it actually repersents something. Like for their culture and ancestors. Every one of those carving should repersent something and that it should be respected.
These carvings also might tell a story of some kind about their past. The carvings can also be a memory. Like if someone from their cultrue did something so great and has past away know-There might be a carved stature that makes people remember this particular person for what they have done.
-Jennifer
hi!
I’m doing the haka
the haka is supposed to represent the words “do you accept our challenge”. this is like when the all blacks do their haka they are asking “do you accept our challenge” but in a different way because they are asking if the other team if they accept to play a rugby game against them. this is our the haka is said to have originated.
“The haka is said to have originated when Te Rauparaha was fleeing from his enemies. A local chief hid him in an underground kumara (sweet potato) store, where Te Rauparaha waited in the dark, expecting to be found. When the store was opened and the sun shone in, it was not his enemies but the hairy local chief telling him they had gone. Te Rauparaha climbed the ladder to perform this victorious haka.”
i got this information from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/theme/music/mus_maori.htm
My thoughts on the Maori hongi. This picture is of the traditional Maori greeting. Different culures around the world have different types of greeting, for example, English men shake hands, and French people kiss once on each cheek, and russians kiss on alternate cheeks 3 times. The maori hongi greeting is an important part of their culture. I have never seen another culure greet in this way.
Hi its Jack here
I’m doing the haka and I think the haka is showing people that there are not scared of you when you come and fight us, like the Allblacks,
they do the haka because they are scaring the other team and saying they are not scared of them.
jock here
I am doing the wood carving and I think that the wood carvings tell stories about the people that have passed away that would most of the time been a chief or a wise man or wise woman. As Andrew tells us, the whare and the wood carvings looked like a body and inside it there were ribs and a backbone and some times they put green stone on the head to say that even when your gone we still love you and still give you gifts.
Below you will find some information from the Internet - from the Metropolitan Museum in New York!
The art of woodcarving was brought to New Zealand by the ancestors of the present-day Maori, who likely settled the islands around 1100 A.D. Examples of ancient Maori wood sculpture are rare but a number survive, due, in part, to the practice of hiding valuable carvings by immersing them in swamps during times of unrest. The waterlogged environment subsequently preserved the wood.
Much of early Maori woodcarving shows stylistic affinities with works from eastern Polynesia, where the ancestors of the Maori almost certainly originated. As the generations passed, a distinctively Maori carving style gradually began to emerge, developing into what is recognized as the classic Maori style sometime around 1500. Unlike its more sparely ornamented predecessors, classic Maori woodcarving is characterized by boldly rendered three-dimensional forms whose surfaces are engraved with intricate designs.
According to one Maori oral tradition, the art of woodcarving was brought to their ancestors by the cultural hero Ruatepupuke. In the story, Ruatepupuke’s son Manuruhi offended Tangaroa, the god of the sea. As punishment, Tangaroa abducted Manuruhi, transforming him into a woodcarving to adorn the gable of his house beneath the sea. Ruatepupuke descended into the sea in search of his son, where he overheard the carved ancestor posts of Tangaroa’s house talking to each other. The posts told him where to find Manuruhi. Angered by the mistreatment of his son, Ruatepupuke set fire to Tangaroa’s house. He then returned to the human world, bringing Manuruhi and several carved posts with him, and introduced the art of woodcarving to humanity. The reference to talking carvings in the story evokes the aesthetic standards Maori carvers aspire to in creating their work. A masterful carving is said to “speak” to the viewer, while a lesser example remains silent.
http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/hd/maor/hd_maor.htm
Hi Bianca here I am going to talk about the hongi. I think that it is a welcoming thing the Maoris do also I think it is to respect people and it means hello.
Here is some info about the hongi I found out on the internet:
Not to be confused with a hangi, the hongi is the Maori welcome expressed by the rubbing or touching of noses, something akin to the Western custom of kissing someone by way of greeting.
The literal meaning of “hongi” is the “sharing of breath.” Hope you liked the suff I found out (About Inc, 2007).
Full Reference:
About Inc. (2007). Hongi: Traditional Maori Greeting, New Zealand. Retrieved 10th October, 2007, from http://goaustralia.about.com/od/maoriculture/f/hongi.htm
By bianca
Hi,
This is for picture one.
A hongi is a traditional Maori greeting. It is done by pressing ones nose and forehead against another’s. In the hongi the breath of life is exchanged.
Once the manuhiri has done the hongi with the tangata whenua they become part of the tangata whenua.
In Maori folklore, woman was created by the god Tane , by moulding her shape out of the earth. Tane then breathed into her nostrils and she sneezed and came to life. She was named Hineahuone (earth formed woman).
The hongi is a very sacred act which was performed by the gods and many ancestors.
The literal meaning of “hongi” is the “sharing of breath.”
My references http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongi
By Hannah
Hi Andrew sorry i havent been on much =(
I think picture 5, the necklace, is to remember the people that die. I think it’s the ancestors.
-jackliu
Hey Jock you have heaps of stuff to say. I think you have even more to say - nice going.
Hi -
Doing the hongi.
The hongi is a maori greeting where two people press their noses together. Through the greeting of the hongi you are no longer considered a manuhiri but now a tangata whenua and now you share in all of the duties and responsibilities of the marae. When you touch noses they say that you become one and breathe the same breath
I got this information from - http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/powhiri/the-ceremony/hongi-embrace.cfm
I think that the hongi is a little bit strange when I do it but I think of it as a kiss or a handshake . A hongi is like a handshake, a way of greeting someone in a nice way.
By Gray
Hi I am doing picture six(The wood carving)I got this…
…”Notice the two long lines on either side of the eye. These are the lines that are used to identify that this type of head is a wheku.”
From:
http://www.maori.org.nz/whakairo/?d=page&pid=sp53&parent=52
I think that the carving is telling of a person / ancestor to be remembered.
Hamish
My Comment.
I think the haka is an only performed on very special times.
There’s a lot of history about the haka like it could mean a sign of death or sign of war. It really depends on what history it comes from.
Found on a site: Eden - Please insert the site that you have used. I can let you edit this at school.
Haka was the domain of men exclusively, legends and history reflects a different story. Indeed, the story of the most famous haka, Ka mates!
Here’s some of the history about the haka:
The first use of the haka in the natural world was attributed to the chief Tinirau and some of his womenfolk.
Tinirau desired revenge for the killing of a pet whale, so he sent a hunting party of women to find the man responsible, an old tohunga or priest called Kae.
Hello,
This is one for the tattoos.
I think that the Maori tattoos show where you are from. If you look at a tattoo closely, you can see designs, which are sometimes representing tribes. There could also be an ancestor tattoo too. Back in the old days they would use tattoos a lot to tell whether you are coming form another tribe to do something or else they could miss place you as one of them.
“Ancestry is indicated on each side of the face. The left side is generally (but not always, depending on the tribe) the father’s side, while the right hand side indicates the mother’s ancestry. Descent was a foremost requirement before a Moko could be undertaken.” (New Zealand in History, 2007)
“If one side of a person’s ancestry was not of rank, that side of the face would have no Moko design. Likewise if, in the centre forehead area there is no Moko design, this means the wearer either has no rank, or has not inherited rank.”(New Zealand in History, 2007)
New Zealand in History.(2007). The Maori-Tattoo-New Zealand in History. Retrieved 10th October, 2007, from http://www.history-nz.org/maori3.html
Hi room 29, I am posting about the maori carvings.
I think that the maori carvings are part of maori tridition because it was their new way of telling stories, because they didn’t have writen language,
so they did “carvings on maraes, canoes and weapons.”
Reference: this little bit of information was found in wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_culture
Gabbie.B
Wow! Some excellent information Room 29 - you should be impressed with each other and yourselves.
Just like our ‘What does culture mean…’ section, ask each other questions. This is a form of communication - so talk with eachother about the subject.
Louisa - excellent! You have used referencing in the proper way! Well done. Other students should use Louisa’s as a model.
Always remember to include the full link to your info in this post. If you take info and don’t say exactly where it is from then you have misused that persons work and they may not be happy about that. Please reference.
Keep up the GREAT work!
Hi guys
Here are two maori words I found: Poroporoaki (farewell), Hakari (Feast).
Hi Brittany here
I chosen to research bone carving.
I think bone carvings are each different in their own way and each design means something different. For example, the Tiki is regarded as a good luck charm when worn and the person wearing it may have a number of special qualities.
Please look at my link for lots more info.
http://boneart.co.nz/meanings.htm
Brittany.
Hi,
This is a comment about the Wero (challenge).
I think that this challenge is taken part in the powhiri. It involves a warrior from the Tangata Whenua and someone from the Manuhiri. I think that this shows whether the Manuhiri declares war or not. The warrior will place a green stone down. The Manuhiri most collect the stone if they are not there for war. The Manuhiri must keep constant eye contact with the warrior or else it is a sign of disrespect or war.
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. 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 (Tourism New Zealand, 2007).
Tourism New Zealand.(2007). Maori Culture - New Zealand. Retrieved 11th October, 2007, from: http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/culture-maori-culture.cfm
From Louisa
Hey
I think I know what the tongue poking out means. It means “I will eat you”, and they roll the eyes to say “I’m going to cut your head off and put it on my spear.”
jackliu
Olivia
I am doing the wood carving.
I think these carvings are showing their ancestors by the face carved in to the wood.
As Kemera Wilson says “Instead of writing they used woodcarvings to write about things that happened in the past and now.There are 4 main types of carved faces-the wheku, the ruru, the koruru, the human head-these can be recognised by the shape around the eyes.”
There are carvings that are over 500 years old and I think they tell the stories of many lives.
http://www.maori.org.nz/whakairo/?d=page&pid=sp57&parent=52
This is my comment for our homework task about Maori culture. I looked at the clip of the haka. The haka seems to be a very aggressive dance. According to the Maori legend which I read about on the back of an All Blacks Top Trumps Cards , Tama-nui-to-ra, the sun God, had two wives. They were the summer maid and the winter maid. The son that was born to the summer maid and Tama-nui-to-ra is the trembling of the air seen on hot days in summer which is represented by the trembling hands in the haka.
Hi guys this is what I think on picture 1.
The hongi is the Maori way of welcoming someone, similar to the Western custom of kissing someone, by way of greeting. The hongi is expressed by pressing one’s nose to another person’s at an encounter. The real meaning of “hongi” is the “sharing of breath.” This comes from the ha (breath of life) and is the exchanging and combining of each other.
Through the exchange of this physical greeting, you are no longer considered as the manuhiri which is called the visitor but rather tangata whenua, one of the people of the land. For the remainder of your stay you are obliged to share in all the duties and responsibilities of the home people.
So the Hongi is a traditional greeting in the New Zealand culture but be aware that once you have been welcomed in this way your abligation also extends to bearing arms in times of war!
Refernces:
* - http://www. Wikipedia.co.nz
** - http://goaustralia.about.com/od/maoriculture/f/hongi.htm
hey i found some maori words
Kia ora tatou — Hello everyone
Tena koe — Greetings to you (said to one person)
Tena koutou — Greeting to you all
Haere 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 laterm
This is my response to the feedback Andrew gave me on 7 Oct asking for more opinion and information.
I think the haka is an aggresive dance used by the All Blacks to scare off the enemy.
“Before the Haka is performed by the team, the Haka leader, normally an All Black of Maori descent, will instigate the Haka and spur on those who are to perform the Haka with the following.
Ringa pakia
Uma tiraha
Turi whatia
Hope whai ake
Waewae takahia kia kino
English Translation:
Slap the hands against the thighs
Puff out the chest
Bend the knees
Let the hip follow
Stamp the feet as hard as you can.”
NZ All Blacks unofficial site, 2007. Retrieved 11 Oct, 2007 from http://www.nzallblacks.net/haka.asp
Hi Sophia here
I am going to talk about the hongi. The hongi is a Maori welcome kind of like a kiss.
I think a hongi is when two people put their foreheads and their nose together and breath in the same breath. A hongi is a way to say hello and you are welcome to our tribe.
This is from my internet page:
Once the formal speeches are over, the hosts physically greet their guests by pressing noses with them. In the hongi (traditional greeting), the ha or breath of life is exchanged and intermingled.
Like their ancestors before them, Maori children greet each other with a hongi
Through the exchange of this physical greeting, you are no longer considered manuhiri (visitor) but rather tangata whenua, one of the people of the land.
Once the formal speeches are over, the hosts physically greet their guests by pressing noses with them. In the hongi (traditional greeting), the ha or breath of life is exchanged and intermingled.
Through the exchange of this physical greeting, you are no longer considered manuhiri (visitor) but rather tangata whenua, one of the people of the land.
Reference: http://www.newzealand.com/travel
My comment is about Maori carving.
Carvings are very important to the Maori culture because they are a part of their language which tells the history before the maori language had words.
What is shown is different heads of the patterns and the type of head represents the place that you are from. There are many different patterns in the Maori carvings, they all represents something diffrent e.g a Unahi shows fish scales for a patten and is carved to represent abundance of food.
How is this art?
I think it is art because it looks like art and it tells history using images and the tools they use make other art.
Reference: http://www.maori.org.nz/whakairo/?d=page&pid=sp54&parent=52
Hi Room 29,
After watching ‘Whale Rider’ today I was curious to find out more about what the character Koro/Paka said about the tongue extension and rolling of the eyes. I was wondering if that was actually true.
I have found some information to help. The extension of the tongue is known as whetero and the dilating of the eyes is known as pukana. It is used mainly by men to intimidate others (Catalyst.Net Ltd, 2000).
I only found one comment mentioning the ‘head on a stick’, the other sites I visited used the term ‘intimidation’ to describe why it was used. Like Jacob mentioned in class and in his previous posts, the hand movements are thought to link to the birth of Tanerore, child of Hine-raumati, or Summer who was born of the Sun, Ra, and Winter, Hine-takurua. The wiriwiri or trembling shimmer depicted by the fluttering fingers of a haka performer reflect Tanerore or the light dancing on summer days in honor of his mother(Pacific Islanders in Communications, 2005). Woman can roll the eyes (pukana)but do not use the tongue extension, they will support male haka with hand gestures and movement.
There are 2 main forms of haka. Haka taparahi is performed without weapons and involves chanted posture dances. Haka peruperu is performed with weapons and marked by the spectacle of synchronized leaping with tucked legs by large male groups. In the past the haka peruperu functioned as psychological and physical preparation for battle and also marked a post battle victory (Pacific Islanders in Communications, 2005).
Reference:
Catalyst.Net Ltd. 2000. Haka. Retrieved 11th October, 2007, from http://www.haka.co.nz/haka.php
Pacific Islanders in Communications. 2005. Dances of Life, New Zealand. Retrieved 11th October, 2007, from http://www.piccom.org/dancesoflife/newzealand.html
Hi, I’m doing the haka here.
The haka is a maori dance and they shout it. The haka is normally performed befre charging a battle. The translation is telling them that they are not scared of whoever they are up against and they are doing anything to beat them.
Here is a link: http://www.geocities.com/rogercovalt/haka.htm
-Jennifer
I am doing the Wero,
I think that the Wero (Challenge) is when the Tangata Wgenua from the Moari tribe come to see weather you come in peace or to have war. they will come with a spear or a weapon so that if the visitors come in war they can attack them immediatly
‘Wero’, literally means ‘to cast a spear’ and is the traditional challenge accorded to distinguished visitors. Witnessing the taki or wero is an experience best described as both frightening and mesmerising.
2007 Tourisim New Zealand Taki-Challenge >New Zealand
Retreived 12 October 2007 from http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/features/powhiri/the-ceremony/taki-challenge.cfm
I’m doing the Hongi,
I think hongi is for greeting people, and welcoming. When you do the hongi your nose and your forehead touches the other person’s nose and forehead. That means they are one, right now.
-Erin
bjay
picture 5
The Maori have a great respect for nature and have many legends about the creation and that people wears them are very lucky.
I am doing the tukutuku panels.
I think that tuku tuku panels are important to maraes because they are as meaningful as carvings and each and every carving is individually important to maraes as they represent their ancestors. I think that Tuku tuku panels mean as much as carving do.
reference:Stories of the Tukutuku patterns
Tukutuku patterns vary considerably from iwi to iwi throughout the land. Certain designs are associated with particular iwi, some may have different names in different regions, or the names may be spelled in various ways.
Hi everyone
I am writing about the ‘Haka’
Before going into battle, the warriors would ussually do the Haka. The warrior that leads the ‘Taua’ (war party) would move into the middle of the men and say:
“Tika Tonu Mai
Tika Tonu Mai
Ki ahau e noho nei
Tika tonu mai
I a hei ha!”
this means:
“Come forth this way, towards me
To this place where I now stand “Come forth this way, towards me
To this place where I now stand
Come straight this way
I a hei ha!”
Come straight this way
I a hei ha!”
When this man calls this, the other warriors would perform the “peruperu” haka. if the haka was not performed in complete unity, this would mean that they would go into battle with very bad luck.
during the real haka, the warriors would eyeball the other tribal warriors. occasionally this would be to stress a perticular action durin the Haka, e.g. a slicing movement with there arm to show the fate of the awaiting enemy. the warriors would often go into the war without clothes, excluding a flax skirt around there waist.
The haka may also be used to tell of great feats, or danced as a special welcome before a high-ranking guest.
REFERENCE:
New Zealand in history. 2007. The Māori- Warfare. Retreived 12 October 2007 from http://www.history-nz.org/maori2.html
I am writing about the hongi.
I think that hongi means when someone comes up to other person and does nose to nose like a hongi.
Hongi is a traditional Maori form of greeting.
The hongi is the Maori welcome expressed by the rubbing or touching of noses.
It is a custom of kissing someone by way of greeting.
reference:About Inc. 2007. Hongi - Traditional maori greeting. Retreived 12 October 2007 from http://goaustralia.about.com/od/maoriculture/f/hongi.htm
Hi room 29
I have done some research about the Haka.
When the Maori warriors put their tongues out, this means that I am going to eat you, and haka is for scaring enimies in fighting, and it’s telling you not come and fight me, otherwise you will get bad luck.
Joe
hey jack here
the hongi is for greeting people and when they are finished the one who is greeted becames the tangata whenua.
-jackliu
hi
this my re-think for the hongi I did at first week of tearm 4 friday.
He tangata takahi manuhiri,
He marae puehu.
When guests are not respected,
The marae is disreputable.
Hongi … traditional Maori form of greeting
I got this imformation from:
http://www.nztvl.com
goaustralia.about.com/od/maoriculture/f/hongi.htm/maori03.htm
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongi
Hi, Im doing the tattoo,
I think that this is a symbol of your strength, and your importance as Maui got a tattoo to symbolise his strength in battle, so that his enemies would fear him in battle.
Mataora, filled with guilt and heartbreak followed after his princess Niwareka. After many trials, and after overcoming numerous obstacles, Mataora eventually arrived at the realm of “Uetonga”, but with his face paint messed and dirty after his voyage. Niwareka’s family taunted and mocked Mataora for his bedraggled appearance. In his very humbled state, Mataora begged Niwareka for forgiveness, which she eventually accepted. Niwareka’s father then offered to teach Mataora the art of tattooing, and at the same time Mataora also leant the art of Taniko - the plaiting of cloak borders in many colours.
Reference: 2007 New Zealand in history, The Maori- Tattoo-New Zealand in history. Date retreived: 10 October 2007.
http://www.history-nz.org/maori3.html.
Hi
I’m doing picture 4: Te wero (the challenege)
wero means “cast a spear”. The wero was a traditional way of testing the visitors to see if they came in peace or in war.
Today’s wero is performed as a ceremonial challenge for very important visitors to the marae, and there can sometimes be up to three challenegers.
The wero is always carried out by a man, and performed before the karanga is made. The challegersmakes fierce faces no noises, and swings his taiaha at the visitors. This a warning to visitors that the warriors of the tangata whenua are strong and ready to defend themselves if necessary.
The taki(challenge dart) is placed before the manuhiri and many be a small carved dart or a piece of greenery.
The taki is always picked up by a male member of the manuhiri, and shows the tangata whenua that the visitors arrive in peace.
HISTORY NOTE!!!!!
The challenger who perform the wero is seen as a warrior of the god Tumatauenga or Tu. this god was the son of Runginui, the sky father, and Papatuanuku, the earth mother, and was protector and champion of worriors.
Tu fought with his brother Tawhirimatea when their parents were separated. Tawhirimatea had wanted his parent to stay together and attack his brother with wind and rainstorms to punish them. Tu was the only one brave enough to stand against Tawhirimatea, and he killed his brothers for refusing to help him. According to maori belief, this set the scene for warfare: men make war now because Tu did so in the begainning.
I got this imformation from:
The sheet That (?) photocopy it for us.
hi
I’m doing picture two tatoos.
Maori tattoos are among the most distinctive tattoos in the world and have their own identity amongst the Polynesian tattoos. Tattooing is a sacred art among the Maori people of New Zealand, and probably came to them from the islands of East Polynesia.
Maori tattoo art is very beautiful, consisting of curved shapes and spirals in intricate patterns. Distinctive for Maori tattoo designs is the fact that they are based on the spiral and that they are curvilinear. The most prevalent place for a Maori tattoo was the face, probably a result of the cool New Zealand climate.
http://www.shopenzed.com/maori-culture-xidc22657.html
http://www.freetattoodesigns.org/maori-tattoos.html
Erin - I am loving your information! Great stuff you are collecting.
Although Erin - please write your own personal opinions as well. What do you think? Check the list of questions I wrote in the original instructions. We really want to hear what YOU have to say
Thanks.