New Zealand Culture

Largely shaped by its short, intense history as a peopled land, Kiwis pride themselves on their well-balanced culture. Best characterized by its most beloved sporting hero, Sir Edmund Hillary, the country honors its commitment to live simply on the margin between the tamed and untamed. In 1953, Hillary became the first man to climb Mt. Everest along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. After being knighted, he tall, gangly Hillary always preferred to be called Ed, rather than Sir, and returned to his life as beekeeper after his effort. Beyond this modest lifestyle, Hillary used his fame to support humanitarian causes Nepal and domestic conservation efforts. In 2007 at the age of 88, he returned to the New Zealand-managed Scott Base on the South Pole, which he established on his overland traverse of Antartica in 1958, in an effort to raise funds for the fledgling research camp.

New Zealand society is largely bicultural, comprised primarily of British, Pakeha, and Maori New Zealanders. The word maori was originally used to distinguish “ordinary people” from strange European explorers. In fact, many Maori did not self-identify as Maori until well into the 1830s. Maoritanga, loosely translated as “the ways of the Maori,” serves as an umbrella term for the cultural traditions and organization of Maori life. Although many Maori now live off the traditional grounds in an urban environment, New Zealand has recently experienced a renaissance of Maoritanga as more Maori look to their rich heritage for identity.

Basic Concepts

The most fundamental idea of Maori custom is the notion of tapu and its lesser-known counterpart, noa. Tapu, roughly translated as “sacred” or “spiritual restriction,” indicates the presence of supernatural power (whether good or evil) and commands respect and attention. Ignoring tapu is a great taboo—yes, that is the root of the English word—across New Zealand. Noa underscores the absence of such power and thus deserves no special caution. For example, a man has the tapu responsibility in a tribe to oversee ceremonial duties and give speeches at a marae, but he cannot look respectable without the help of the female’s noa duties of preparing food and singing songs. Personal relationships within and between tribes also require an understanding of mana. Translated literally, the word means “prestige” or “respectability,” but the meaning is more of an essence that grants seniority to a worthy individual. Traditionally, the amount of mana in an individual depends on his or her ancestry, experience, and seniority in a tribe. Nowadays, mana is instead often influenced more by one’s success and achievements.

A Maori Tribal Structure

In New Zealand, tribal association is not an official designation; there are over 40 recognized iwi in New Zealand. Within the iwi exist smaller regional communities called hapu. These communities were originally groups that owned land within the tribe. Today, each hapu seldom owns more land than a marae reserve. For this reason, the hapu generally has more significance for rural populations; city-dwellers generally tend to identify less with their hapu.

The Marae

The marae are the sacred grounds around a Maori whare tupuna (ancestral meeting house) and the site of the powhiri (formal welcome), receiving visitors into the community. The ceremony consists of four basic components. Upon arriving at the marae, a warrior from the village will greet visitors with a haka (see Dance, below), an elaborate set of body movements and a tongue-protruding facial gesture (it’s exceedingly uncouth to return such a gesture). The wero (challenge) ends when a teka (peace offering) is offered and accepted. After this step, a female elder will issue the karanga, a chant of welcome and mourning for the visitors’ great ancestors. As your group crosses the marae, pause and bow in respect for the ancestors of the tribe before congregating in front of the whare. In response to the chief’s whaikorero (speech of welcoming), the designated chief of your group will deliver a brief speech in return (preferably in Maori as well, but protocol varies). To seal the bond of friendship, both chiefs press (but do not rub) noses together in the traditional greeting known as the hongi. After the hongi, the separate groups finally mingle and are called to dine in the whare kai. Shoes are not worn inside the whare kai, and pictures may not be permitted, depending on the tribe. After a karakia (prayer) is given, the hangi (dinner), is prepared—sweet potatoes, meat, and other goodies roasted in a pit of stones.

Song And Dance

Tau marae orations are stylized tributes to the dead performed at traditional funeral ceremonies for important chiefs. Another important type of oratory is karakia (prayer), which were once strictly designated for tohunga (priests or specially learned men). Karakia imparted mauri (essence of its natural state) to objects. Waiata is the most common type of ceremonial song, customarily performed at powhiri and the conclusion of farewell speeches at tangi (funerals). In modern times, the two kinds of waiata that have survived—the waiata tangi (songs of mourning often composed by women), and the waiata aroha (love songs composed by women)—often dwell upon unrequited love and delinquent lovers.

The vigorous arm-waving, chanting, foot-stomping haka is an all-male dance once performed by armed warriors before battle to include the god of war. To see a modern haka, head to a marae or just check out the All Blacks —they perform the haka before each match. Taparahi are weaponless dances performed by both genders for a variety of reasons: to greet important guests, to honor the dead, or for sheer entertainment. In the poi, designed to increase suppleness in the wrists of warriors, women twirl balls on strings in a synchronized fashion.

Carving

An early Maori art form, carving is still practiced today. The most common materials are bone, wood, and pounamu (greenstone). According to traditional Maori beliefs, it is the artist’s responsibility to infuse certain qualities such as fear, power, and authority into his or her pieces in order to transform them from mere material objects to taonga (highly treasured, even sacred objects). Each object accumulates its own body of korero (stories) with every successive owner. A design particular to a tribe is passed down from generation to generation, distinguished by its repetition of certain stylistic features and motifs, such as tiki (human forms), manaia (bird men), and taniwha (sea spirits). Carvers create items large and small, decorating both towering meeting houses and tiny tiki pendants.

Moko (Facial Tattooing)

Moko has been one of the most famous Maori art forms since the days when 19th-century Europe was transfixed by portraits and photographs of New Zealand “savages” with full facial tattoos. While most tribes reserved the practice for males, moko sometimes served as a rite of passage for both males and females, as well as a marker of achievements and status. Men’s moko began with a simple design for youths; more spiral flourishes were added as the wearer won prestige in battle. The intricacy of the moko was also indicative of the warrior’s tolerance for pain. Thus, only older, highly distinguished warriors could sport full facial tattoos. Women’s moko were simpler, surrounding only the lips and the tip of the nose.

Traditionally, moko was only executed by tohunga ta moko, experts trained extensively in using the sharp wooden adze and mallet to etch the design into the skin. They used a toothed chisel to fill in the ink dye (a mixture of burned kauri or totara resin and pigeon fat), all in complete silence. While the tattoo was healing, leaves of the karaka tree were placed on the skin and the tohunga ta moko declared the recipient tapu. During this time, sexual intimacy was prohibited and no one was permitted to view the moko; it was believed that the tattoo would fade if anyone saw it before it healed completely.