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The Maori are the first inhabitants of New Zealand, and remain a strong part of New Zealand’s heritage. Today the Maori are 15% of New Zealand’s inhabitants, with a population of 500,000 to 600,000 people . Although the Maori have become a modern group of people in the recent years, because of the cultural loss they suffered through time, the Maori uses the internet today in order to revive and reveal the traditions of their culture. Even though the Maori have had conflict with the European settlers in the past, the Maori are now respected as a culture. The majority of Maori’s have moved to urbanized cities; however they still keep the Maori traditions such as the Haka (war dance), the Te Moko (tattoos), and the Te Reo (Maori language). The Maori uses internet outlets such as YouTube and Facebook, as well as self-made websites to keep their culture alive.
History:
According to myth, the Maori descended from the mythical land of Hawaiki 1000 years ago and fought rough waters in order to reach New Zealand. However according to historians, the Maori migrated from China, Taiwan, The Philippines, Indonesia, Samoa, and settled in New Zealand. The history of the Maori is told differently by the Maori and by outside sources. The websites created by the Maori focuses on the triumphs and positive aspects of their history, while websites made by outside sources focus on the tribulations of Maori culture (http://www.themaori.com/maori-history/).
The arrival of the Maori is divided into two parts: archaic and traditional. The archaic Maori arrived in New Zealand around 1100 AD, while the traditional Maori arrived around the 14th Century from different parts of Polynesia. In 1849, Captain James Cook settled in New Zealand and was the first European settler. After his arrival, many European settlers followed. During the beginning of this migration, the British settlers and the Maori lived in peace. According to a Maori-made website, www.maori.com, there was a period of time where Europeans, known as Pakeha, worked as advisors and slaves to the Maori. On February 6, 1840, The Treaty of Waitagi was signed between the Maori and the British. This gave the British the right to govern the land, yet gave the Maori equal lands and treatment under the law. However the British failed to acknowledge this treaty and seized the Maori’s land. This is the main factor that caused the Maori to suffer cultural lost. According to everyculture.com, the Maori strive to find the remnants of their traditional history, recover the artifacts for their culture, and regain their ancestral homelands (“Maori-Historical and Cultural Relations”, 2011).
Warfare
The Maori has developed into a modern culture, and no longer fights traditional wars. However the one form of warfare the Maori has passed down for generations and is still used today is the Haka. The Haka is a war cry exerted by the Maori since the beginning of their culture to intimidate the enemy. The Haka consists of having tongues out, eyes bulging, fierce facial expressions, grimaces, grunts, and cries. There are two types of Haka, one performed with weapons, referred to as the Whakatuwaewae and Tutungharu; or one performed without weapons called the Peperu. The Whakatuwaewae Haka consists of no jumping, while the Tutungharu consists of jumping from side to side. The Peperu, which is the one most frequently used until today, consists of high leaps off the ground with legs folded under. The Haka Taparahi was a ceremonial Haka, that is performed at most Maori gatherings until today (Tauroa, 2002). . Nowadays the most well-known Haka, a Peperu Haka, is performed by New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, before every game (“Maori Haka”, 2011).
Language
The Maori speak Te Reo, which is the official language of New Zealand (Wellington, 1987). According to the Health of the Maori Language survey in 2001, 136, 700 Maori, out of the 600,000 total speak Te Reo. Fifty percent of Te Reo speakers today are under 25 ("Maori Language", 2011). This is because several generations of the Maori were not allowed to speak Te Reo, which caused language loss amongst several generations of Maori. The Native Schools Act of 1867 made it illegal for Maori children to speak Te Reo at school, and made English the official language. The Maori have in the recent years, the Maori have strived to revive the language (Korero, M., 2008). However there is a difference of the pronunciation of words between the elder generation and younger generation. This is because the younger generation pronounces the Maori words with an English accent. There have been many efforts to regain spread the Te Reo language amongst the younger generation of Maori. This includes the Maori television channel, Maori radio, and many Maori language websites to promote the language ("Maori Language", 2011)..
Kinship
The Maori is patrilateral society. They are connected through the Iwi, which are independent political tribes separated into districts. Within these districts there is the Hapu. Individuals within a Hapu are bilaterally descended from a common ancestor. Some members may be connected to more than one Hapu because of the bilateral connection between the husband’s and the wife’s families. After the Hapu is the Whanau which refers to immediate family, in laws, and all connected by blood ties. In the Maori kin, a mother’s sister would be considered her sister, as well as her cousin, who would be considered aunt to her children. This concept is the same for males in the tribe("Maori kinship", 2011; Ministry of Justice, 2001).
Marriage
The Maori traditions of marriage are still reflected in Maori marriage in present time. The ceremony begins with Karukea, a Maori blessing. The speaker, who is usually an elder or relative recalls the ancestors, Zupuna, and mentions the Whanau (extended family). After the ceremony, members of the Whanau dance the Wiri Wiri, which is a hand fluttering gesture. Instead of a wedding cake, the bride and groom have Paua shells. In the end a Ceremonial Powhiri, which is equivalent to a reception is conducted, which usually includes the Haka (Banga, 2005; "Wedding customs", 2004).
Religion
The Maori believe in the three baskets of mankind: Wairua, Mana, and Whiro. Wairua believes all things have a soul. Mana is the spiritual essence within man, land, and nature. The Whiro represents all that is evil on earth. The godstick is used as an intermediary between the priest and the spirit contacted. Only priests, and high elders can use the godstick. The Maori also believe in Ringatu and Ratana, which are the two major religions in the culture. Ringatu means “The Upraised Hand”. It is the official recognized church and it still exists today. Another churh the Ratana is known as the mouth piece of God. Although Ringatu and Ratana are the original Maori religions, most Maori today are Christians or Catholics ("Maori Culture & Beliefs”, 2011).
Legends
The Maori presume the creation of the earth is by Rangi (Sky Father) and Papa (Earth Mother) created plants, animals, and men. Together Rangi and Papa gave birth to several male sons. Their eldest son was named Tane, who rebelled against his parents and stained the earth with blood which created a separation between the earth and the sky. The Maori believe the earth was created this way (Kokero, 2008; “Maori Culture & Beliefs,” 2011).
Food Production
The Maori’s food production contains products of horticulture, fishing, eeling, fowling, and food gathering. The Maori eat: pigs, chickens, dogs, rats, and seals. They are the most well-known for eating a flightless bird called the Moa, which became extinct. The Maori also harvest kumara (sweet potato), taro, hue (gourd), and wuhri (yam). Fishing is prominent in the Maori culture, and a variety of their food comes from the ocean. This includes shellfish, te pore fish, karengo (sea weed), koura (crayfish), hira (sea urchin), and eel (Henare, 2009) .
Art
The Maori culture has a great emphasis on art. Although many aspects of Maori culture has disappeared, Maori art has remained a strong threshold within the society. These art forms include carving, tattooing, weaving, and painting ("Maori Art", 2011. The Maori facial tattoo, the Moko, is the most renown. The Moko serves as a form of identification, rank, genealogy, tribal history, eligibility to marry, and beauty. For the males, the tattoo on the face serves as a form of identity. The right side of the face represents the father’s Iwi rank, while the left side of the face represents the mother’s Iwi rank. The Moko on females is found on the lips, upper lips, legs, buttocks, and genitals. If the Moko is placed on the upper lip, it reveals the female is of high status. A Moko on the female’s buttocks exposes the female’s marriage status as a political marriage. If the Moko is placed on the legs it shows a female’s tribal identity. After a woman gives birth, a Moko is usually placed on her genitals ("Maori Tatoo", 2011).. The Maori are also renowned for their carvings. The carvers of strive to keep the Maori culture alive through these carvings; each piece tells a story. Currently the new generation incorporates traditional Maori art with art, hip hop, poetry, theatre, and hip hop ("Maori Art", 2011).
The Maori and the Internet
The Maori have a strong representation on the internet. There is an equal amount of websites made by the Maori and by outside sources. Throughout time, the Maori lost many aspects of their culture. Although the Maori have transitioned into a modern culture, they use the modernity of the internet as a tool to connect their people to old world customs and traditions, as well as inform other people out of the Maori about their culture. Many of the websites composed by the Maori feature an overview of their culture. Here is a list of websites made by the Maori, that aided in my research:
Each of these Maori websites features the culture’s customs, traditions, along with a medium to keep the Maori connected to each other. Although many Maori websites are informative of their culture, the majority of their websites are centered on Te Reo, the Maori language. The elders in the Maori culture feel there is a responsibility to teach the younger generation of Maori, Te Reo, because the language was lost between many Maori generations. Thus the internet is the number one staple to connect the younger generation to the Maori language. Through the websites I have surveyed, almost every website has a Maori dictionary, and teaches words in the Maori language. This shows how much the Maori strives to revive their language and keep it going through generations. Websites such as http://www.maorilanguage.net/ and http://www.tewhanake.maori.nz/ feature online videos and podcasts to ensure the correct pronunciation of Te Reo. As I stated previously, the Maori established Maori television and radio in order to keep Te Reo alive. The Maori Television channel also has an internet presence, so the Maori can watch their television shows online. http://www.maoritelevision.com/
The Maori also utilize Facebook, YouTube, and online dating websites to keep them connected, as well as give others a glimpse into their culture. They have Facebook pages such as https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maori/136750666349414 to keep their culture connected. YouTube is also a way the Maori represent their culture. There is a variety of YouTube pages on Maori Haka, Moko, and even a Maori news page. YouTube videos of the traditional Haka, is usually posted by the Maori from traditional events, school plays, weddings, and the most famous All Blacks rugby team. The videos of the Moko (tattoo) however are mostly uploaded by non-Maori, with intrigue of the processes of receiving the Moko. In this YouTube video
which is an excerpt from the documentary, “Ta Moko” directed by Kim Webby, a non-Maori reveals the reasons behind a man receiving a Moko. This may seem intriguing to the non-Maori, conversely according to a comment made by a Maori woman, videos like this may seem offensive to the Maori. The comment stated “I am Nga Puhi and I feel that no one has the right to ask anyone of their actions towards getting Moko. I agree with what you say. A small part of earning moko is enduring it I beleive. If you can't handle it, you deal with the humiliation of bearing an unfinished story [ . . . ] I am due to start my journey soon with full body moko, and I look forward to learning more of my whakapapa”. The reason there are very few videos posted by the Maori of the Moko procedure is because the process is sacred to the Maori. Most of these videos are posted by the Maori to showcase their culture and traditions to the outside world as well as to the Maori via the internet.
Although the Maori developed into a modern culture, they are always tied to their old world traditions via the internet. They make websites and join websites such as Facebook and YouTube to display a positive aspect of their culture, inform people about their culture, as well as inform the new generation of Maori of their traditions. The Maori’s usage of the internet is an advantage to those studying the culture as well as those within the culture. The internet connects the modern Maori to the historical traditions, and helps the Maori move forward in technology, while taking a step back to the Maori roots.
References
Art. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.themaori.com/maori-art/
Banga, N. (2005). Wedding ceremony Maori style. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/articles/2005/03/24/carol_cooke_maori_wedding_feature3.shtml
Culture & Beliefs. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.themaori.com/maori-culture-beliefs/
Firth, R. (1929). Primitive economics of the New Zealand Maori. The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 38(3), 224-226. Peer Reviewed
Henare, M. (2009). Story: Te mahi kai-food production economics. Retrieved from http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/te-mahi-kai-food-production-economics
History. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.themaori.com/maori-history/
Korero, M. (2008). Myths and legends. Retrieved from http://www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners/myths.html
Language. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.themaori.com/maori-language/
Maori-History and Cultural Relations. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/
Maori kinship. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Oceania/Maori-Kinship.html
Maori tattoo. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.themaori.com/maori-tattoo/
Ministry of Justice. (2001). Maori social structures. Retrieved from http://www.justice.govt.
New Zealand Culture. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/new-zealand-culture- maori/
Tauroa, H. (2002). Performance- Kapa Haka - Haka. Retrieved from http://www.maori.org.nz/waiata/default.asp?pid=sp95&parent=85
Ward, A., & Sinclair, K. (2008). Maori traditions and customs. Retrieved from http://history-nz.org/maori8.html
Wedding customs in Oceania. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/oceania_traditions.html
Wellington, N. (1987). Maori becomes official language. Retrieved from http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/maori-becomes-an-official-language
