History
of Maori People
European
Arrival
Treaty of Waitangi
Maori Wars
Traditions of the Maori
Tattoo
Maori men often get their faces tattooed. This is an ancient tradition, done in stages generally starting from early adulthood. They got it done by an artist of 'moko,' a way unique to the Maori, in which a pattern is carved into the skin with a chisel, and then ink placed in the cuts to create the tattoo. This procedure is done in stages because it is obviously very painful. Maori facial tattoos were indications of power and prestige, designed to intimidate and impress, especially in battle. Sticking out one's tongue was also meant to be a form of intimidation before and during battle, shown above. Also, since no two facial tattoos are alike, they are markers of individual identity. Maori women may also be tattooed, although they are limited to the lips and chin. These tattoos are executed with a toothed comb.
Waka
A modern version
of the waka, pictured above, is similar to the ancient waka's that
supposedly brought the first Maori from Hawaiki, the land of the ancestors.
There are claims that there were originally a dozen waka's that
landed on the shores of New Zealand and from them the twelve original
tribes
flourished, given the name of the waka they arrived in. The names of
the principal people on each canoe became part of the oral history
passed down through generations, and Maoris today are generally able
to trace their descent back to the immigration canoe and its occupants-some
can go even further back in time, to ancestors in the homeland of Hawaiki.
Meeting house
The most important building in any Maori community is the meeting house. It is a communities most powerful statement of identity, symbolically representing a particular ancestor whose spirit is enclosed by the building. The ridge-pole is a symbol of the ancestor's backbone, and the rafters are the ancestors ribs. The primary purpose of traditional Maori art is to make this house beautiful. All ceremonies and decisions concerning the community take place in the meeting house.