Nir Horowitz 9R
From their exciting culture to their exquisite food, the Maori culture is a mystery to us all. Following the exceptional author Witi Ihimarea, Nir Horowitz takes us through this fascinating culture. The story of a young girl and her special connection to the whales can be traced back to New Zealand, how the Maori’s built it and all of its spectacular cultures and its spectacular history.
Maori Tradition and Culture:
The way that Maori people define themselves is by their iwi, hapu, maunga and awa. The Maori people are the native people of Aotearoa and first arrived here in waka hourua from their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki over a thousand years ago. Maori culture is very rich and varied and contains very traditional and contemporary art. The have traditional arts such as carving, weaving, kapa haka, whaikorero and moko are performed around the country. Maori people had very strong oratory skills, as there was no written language used. Performers following their tipuna try to replicate their techniques from hundreds of years ago. Maori is also an oral culture wealthy with stories and legends from years ago. The birthplace of the haka is heavily rooted in the mists of time. It is a folklore and legend reflecting on Maori heritage.
Maori Art
It is sometimes presumed that every cut into Maori carving has a meaning behind it, but in truth most of it is most probably decoration. Due to European settlement, most carving had either been greatly exaggerated or most of it had been lost by the time the Europeans went in to New Zealand. Figures in Maori carving, with very rare exception are not based on religion, but secular. Most carvings on meeting houses are based on important ancestors. Just like the large carved meetinghouse was usually named after an important ancestor, and in most parts of the country it was the symbol and the representative of that ancestor. Spirals are an important element in relief