Helping People Recreate Their Lives and Reach Their Full Potential
The History of Proud Māori Culture of New Zealand.
Maori legend has it that around 950 AD; Chief Kupe arrived in New Zealand from a homeland he called Hawaiki. Following groups came from eastern Polynesia, arriving in New Zealand in several groups of canoe voyages as the end-point of a long chain of island hopping voyages in the South Pacific; between 1250 and 1300 CE.
Māori oral history describes the arrival of ancestors from Hawaiki (the mythical homeland in tropical Polynesia), in large ocean-going waka.
Over centuries in isolation, these Polynesian settlers have developed a unique culture that became known as the “Māori”.
The Maori people have their own language, a rich mythology, distinctive crafts and performing arts.
The early Māori formed tribal groups, based on eastern Polynesian social customs and organisation. Horticulture flourished using plants they had introduced, and later a prominent warrior culture emerged.
A Great example of a Culture ReCreating Themselves:
The arrival of Europeans to New Zealand starting from the 17th century. This brought enormous change to the Māori way of life. Māori people gradually adopted many aspects of Western society and culture.
Initial relations between Māori and Europeans were largely amicable, and with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the two cultures coexisted as part of a new British colony.
A portrait of Māori man, by Gottfried Lindauer, 1882
The first European impression of Māori,at Murderers’ Bay in Abel Tasman’s travel journal (1642).
Rising tensions over disputed land sales led to conflict in the 1860s. Social upheaval, decades of conflict and epidemics of introduced disease took a devastating toll on the Māori people.
The Maori population went into a dramatic decline, but by the start of the 20th century, the Māori population began to recover, and efforts were made to increase their standing in wider New Zealand society.
Traditional Māori culture has enjoyed a revival, and a protest movement emerged in the 1960s advocating Māori issues.
In the 2013 census, there were approximately 600,000 people in New Zealand identifying as Māori, making up roughly 15% of the national population. They are the second-largest ethnic group in New Zealand, after European New Zealanders who are know as and called (“Pākehā”).
In addition there are over 120,000 Māori living in Australia. The Māori language (known as Te Reo Māori) is spoken to some extent by about a fifth of all Māori, representing 3% of the total population, although many New Zealanders regularly use Māori words and expressions, such as “kia ora“, (as a friendly greeting) while speaking English.
Māori are active in all spheres of New Zealand culture and society, with independent representation in areas such as media, politics and sport.
Socioeconomic initiatives have been implemented aimed at closing the gap between Māori and other New Zealanders. The Maori people have adapted and work in better together than virtually any other natives with western influence groups.
Maori people would be rated as some of the nicest and naturally happy people in the world. Political redress for historical grievances is also ongoing.
Māori people often use the term tangata whenua (literally, “people of the land”) emphasises their relationship with a particular area of land – a tribe may be the tangata whenua in one area, but not in another. The term can also refer to Māori as a whole in relation to New Zealand (Aotearoa) as a whole.
The Traditional Maori Culture
A Māori chief with tattoos (moko) seen by James Cook and his crew. Warfare between tribes was common, generally over land conflicts or to restore mana. Fighting was carried out between sub tribes. Māori were known to some times eat their enemies.
Sport
Māori are some of the strongest and best sports people in the world. Maori are very active in New Zealand’s and Australia’s sporting cultures. The national All Blacks – Rugby Union, The Kiwi Rugby League, Touch Football and Ferns Netball teams have many outstanding Māori players, both men and woman teams.
There are also Māori Rugby, Rugby League and Cricket representative teams that play in international competitions. Ki-o-rahi and tapawai are two sports of Māori origin. Waka ama (outrigger canoeing) is also popular with Māori.
Maori Historical Development
Maori’s were not unified, they were in there separate tribes until after the arrival of Europeans. Most Māori lived in villages, which were inhabited by several whānau (known as the extended families) who together made up a hapū (clan or sub-tribe).
Members of a hapū cooperated with food production, gathering resources, raising families and defence.
Māori society throughout New Zealand was broadly categorized into three classes of people:
Rangatira, Chiefs and Ruling Families;
Tūtūā, Commoners; and
Mōkai, PLUS
Tohunga, also held special standing in the communities as specialists of revered arts, skills and esoteric knowledge.
Even though Europeans arrived in New Zealand in 17th century, it wasn’t until over a hundred years later when James Cook arrived that any meaningful interactions occurred between Europeans and Māori.
This brought opportunities for trade, with the early European settlers introduced tools, clothing, food and weapons to Māori throughout New Zealand, in exchange for resources, land and labour.
During the 19th century, Māori began adopting elements of Western society, including European clothing and food, and later Western education, religion and architecture.
Maori legend has it that around 950 AD. Chief Kupe arrived in New Zealand. He and his people traveled from a homeland he called Hawaiki in a canoe called the Maataa-hourua. When he first spotted New Zealand he said: “It is a cloud .. a white cloud .. a long white cloud”.
Maori were formed into different tribes and each tribe (iwi) and sub-tribe (hapu) have their own chiefs.
For example, Tumu Te Heu Heu is the paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe/iwi (from the Taupo district) but because of the status of their family right throughout New Zealand history, he’s often regarded as one of the most influential Maori Chiefs in New Zealand.
Maori Chiefs Facial Tattoos
Ta Moko face tattoos are Maori in origin and represent the tribal history and social standing of the wearer. The Maori Chief will often have the facial Moko.
Getting a Ta Moko face tattoo is very painful, due to tattooing the face and also because of the sharp needles used to inject ink. Ta Moko tattoos can be inked anywhere on the body, but the head is considered the most sacred part of the body. For Maoris, Ta Moko face tattoos are the greatest cultural statement a person can make. There is a history and so many photos or art works of wonderful Maori Chiefs throughout history and their Moko. See these 2 examples of this photo and painting:
History of Maori Chiefs
Maori King or Queen.
Currently he is a King in New Zealand, known as King Tuheitia. The concept of Maori having a King or Queen is part of the Kingitanga Movement which was started by Waikato tribes during the 1850s in an attempt to unite all Maori tribes who have traditionally competed against each other.
A Maori Chief:
To have the honour of being a “Rangatira”; A Maori Chief and part of the Ruling Families is a huge honour in New Zealand and a greater honour than being Knighted by the Queen of England; (Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth herself).
Douglas McCoy made such an impact throughout the country, implementing some of his business concepts in New Zealand that the Maori People decided to immortalise Douglas McCoy by making him a “Maori Chief” in 1996.
In a sacred ceremony held in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, Douglas McCoy was respected with the bestowal of this distinguished elite status of “A Maori Chief”.
In a special ceremony specifically in honour of Douglas McCoy at The Michael Fowler Centre (Wellington’s Entertainment Centre) to be respectfully given the Highest Privilege in New Zealand and throughout the proud historic Maori culture.
During this sacred ceremony a group of distinguished Leaders and Chiefs of this very proud and powerful Maori heritage, honoured Douglas McCoy as he was bestowed with the title of a: ”Maori Chief” for his assistance to the Maori people.
In this sacred ceremony hosted by the Maori Leaders they stated:
“…we consider Douglas McCoy to be “
The Financial Saviour to us as Maori People”.
Douglas McCoy
This was such an achievement and honour that McCoy was advised that he was privileged to be only the third person that had been made a “Maori Chief” with no Maori blood, or even New Zealand blood since the Second World War.
Douglas was so respected amongst many Maori Leaders and people they also gave Douglas McCoy the title of: “Our Young Genius”.
Photo of Douglas McCoy with His Maori Chief’s Cloak and Plaque with the 1905 Painting of: TE AHO noted Waikato Warrior
The Maori Chief’s Cloak and Hand Carved Chief’s Shield, specially prepared and awarded to Douglas McCoy saying: –
“TENAKOE DOUGLAS McCOY”
Douglas was GIFTED the Maori Hand Caved Plaque:
“CARVING Symbolizes: The Guardian, TAIAHA / POUWHENUA The Maori War Weapons, KOROWAI (CHIEF CLOAK) Recognition Of Prestige, Status Of Power – Aotearoa.”
Douglas was given the Tiki Symbolizing “The Love Token”.
Douglas McCoy holding his Maori Chief’s Cloak in Hand Carved Maori Shield, specially prepared and awarded to Doug McCoy saying: –
“TENAKOE DOUGLAS McCOY”
Even though Doug is an honorary Maori Chief and he has many wonderful Maori friends, still they haven’t been able to talk him into a Moko though.
