Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maori Today
Today's culture is marked by new developments in the arts, business, sport and politics.
Many historical grievances still stand, but some
iwi
(Ngai Tahu and Tainui, for example)
have settled historical grievances and are major forces in the NZ economy. Maori have also
addressed the decline in Maori language use by establishing
kohanga reo, kura kaupapa
Maori
and
wananga
(Maori-medium preschools, schools and universities). There is now a
generation of people who speak Maori as a first language. There is a network of Maori ra-
dio stations, and Maori TV is attracting a committed viewership. A recently revived Maori
event is becoming more and more prominent - Matariki, or Maori New Year. The constel-
lation Matariki is also known as Pleiades. It begins to rise above the horizon in late May or
early June and its appearance traditionally signals a time for learning, planning and prepar-
ing as well as singing, dancing and celebrating. Watch out for talks and lectures, concerts,
dinners, and even formal balls.
Arriving for the first time in NZ, two crew members of
Tainui
saw the red flowers of the pohutukawa tree,
and they cast away their prized red feather ornaments, thinking that there were plenty to be had on shore.
Religion
Christian churches and denominations are important in the Maori world: televangelists,
mainstream churches for regular and occasional worship, and two major Maori churches
(Ringatu and Ratana) - we've got it all.
But in the (non-Judaeo Christian) beginning there were the
atua Maori,
the Maori gods,
and for many Maori the gods are a vital and relevant force still. It is common to greet the
earth mother and sky father when speaking formally at a
marae
. The gods are represented
in art and carving, sung of in
waiata
(songs), invoked through
karakia
(prayer and incanta-
tion) when a meeting house is opened, when a
waka
is launched, even (more simply) when
a meal is served. They are spoken of on the
marae
and in wider Maori contexts. The tradi-
tional Maori creation story is well known and widely celebrated.
The best way to learn about the relationship between the land and the
tangata whenua
is to get out there and
start talking with Maori.
