Māori Beliefs
An overview of the historic worship and beliefs of Māori peoples.
The Indigenous Māori Faith
The historic Māori practiced a polytheistic faith similar to those of other Polynesian cultures. According to their beliefs, gods, or atua, inhabit the natural world and shape the destinies of its people. They are the children of Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, and created the world by pushing the two apart. There are many atua, each governing a separate aspect of life and nature.
A person's individuality comes from mauri, a pervasive life force somewhat similar to the concept of a soul. Spiritual power is derived from mana, which is drawn from the atua. Mana can be inherited or earned through skill and social recognition. Its loss at the hands of others was a common cause for war. Mana is protected by tapu, a sacred ethical practice that once governed all of Māori society. The more divine power a person carried, the more tapu restricted contact with normal people and objects. This could also apply to places and objects. Communities punished those who violated tapu harshly, often through death. In addition, defeated warriors were sometimes eaten by their opponents, though the motives behind this action are still debated.
A person's position in society was determined by their mana and associated tapu. The rangatira class of leaders, for example, passed mana down to their children. The tohunga class worked with tapu subjects across a number of disciplines. They healed the sick, advised rulers, navigated by sea, carved canoes, recited history, foretold the future, and built houses, among other duties. Masters carried tapu knowledge and passed it down to their apprentices at specialized schools. Both men and women could serve as tohunga, though they filled different roles. Women, for example, worked with mana and tapu objects while weaving. Interactions between the genders were particularly regulated and could require cleansing ceremonies beforehand.
Christianity and the Māori
Because New Zealand was colonized at a relatively late date, the Māori as a general rule have retained many elements of their original faith. Nonetheless, disruptive periods of cultural suppression and integration with wider New Zealand society have weakened the tapu system. Much of the tohungas' knowledge, an oral tradition, was lost as they passed on without apprentices. Families began converting to Christianity in the 1830s after heavy losses to disease and gun warfare. Christianity brought literacy, stability, and an end to devastating clan raids, and it was initially welcomed by certain tribes. Subsequent wars with the Pakeha, however, eroded missionary influence among the Māori. Māori-founded churches like Rātana and Ringatū appeared during this independent period. Māori people today practice a diverse variety of beliefs, traditional, Christian, a mix of both, or otherwise.
References
Charles Royal, Te Ahukaramū. “Te Ao Mārama – the Natural World.” Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga, 22 Sept. 2012, teara.govt.nz/en/te-ao-marama-the-natural-world/page-5.
McLintock, A.H. “1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.” Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 13 Dec. 2012, teara.govt.nz/en/1966.
Metge, Joan. Rautahi: The Māoris of New Zealand. Routledge. 2004.
Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History. Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris eds. Bridget Williams Books. 2014.
“The World Factbook: NEW ZEALAND.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 May 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html.
White, John. The Ancient History of the Māori, Vol. 1. G. Didsbury, 1887.
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