Writting #2 : Different Cultures

For the next topic we start with a writting about a culture that we found interesting; So, I wrote about the Maori Culture, I found this culture very amazing, in their rituals and forms of organzation in a type of comunity, also in the meaning in their symbols and tattoos. This is my writting.

Culture is a complex system of behavior, values, beliefs, traditions and artifacts, which is transmitted through generations. Cultures are an amalgamation of so many different elements like history, art, cuisine, language and many other tangible and non-tangible aspects. Studying a single culture in-depth requires immense effort and time to fathom the core values and fundamentals, this time we want to talk about Maori culture.

The Māori community is said to have its roots on the islands of Polynesia. By nature, Māori ancestors were excellent at navigation, seafaring and astronomy. The first Māori are believed to have arrived in New Zealand in their traditional waka (canoes) around 14th century AD from an island called Hawaiki, presumably near Hawaii in Polynesia. Soon, they named their new land as Aotearoa (Māori name for New Zealand) meaning the 'land of long white cloud'.  Interestingly, the term waka also means a tribe in Māori language. This might have been on account of separation of members of each waka or canoe into separate iwi (tribes). Each iwi was further divided into hapu (smaller clans). Members of these clans were treated as extended family. Members of each hapu were encouraged to pick their life partners from within their own clan. Each member of a particular tribe shared a common ancestry and exhibited loyalty to their respective chieftains.  The Māori stayed in traditional style houses known as wharenui. These structures had slanting roofs and wooden pillars carved with intricate designs that were dedicated to their deities or tribal chieftains. Māori people made their clothing out of flax fiber called muka or bird feathers. Clothes would be dyed in colors such as black, tan, or yellow and designed to look like kilts or long cloaks. Both men and women wore traditional Māori jewelry. Hei-tiki is popular piece of ornamental jade pendant worn by women in this community.

The Maori food is known as kai and is cooked in a natural earthen oven called hāngi. Basically, it is a shallow space dug in the ground. A fire is lit, on which stones are placed and heated. When the stones get really hot, marinated meat and vegetables are placed on them. The food is then covered with wet sacks. The traditional maorí diet consisted of sea-food, fowl meat, wild herbs, potato/sweet potato breads, manuka honey, and dried algae. Māori people made their clothing out of flax fiber called muka or bird feathers. Clothes would be dyed in colors such as black, tan, or yellow and designed to look like kilts or long cloaks. 

According to Māori mythology, creation of their deities and human beings began with first parents, Papatūānuku (Earth, the mother) and Ranginui (Sky, the father). They had 70 male children, including eight divine offspring known as: Tāne Mahuta (the god of humans, forests, birds, and animals), Haumia tiketike (the god of uncultivated food), Rongomatane (the god of peace and agriculture) Tāwhirimātea (the god of weather), Ruaumoko (the god of earthquakes), Tangaroa (the god of the sea), Tūmatauenga (the war god), Whiro (the god of darkness and evil).  In maorí village they have a sacred área called The marae  that was generally located in front of whare runanga (communal meeting house). Traditional Māori life practically revolved around the marae. Customs such as christening ceremony, weddings, tangihanga (funerals) and tribal reunions took place in this area. Traditionally, the Māori believe that all things, alive or inanimate, are connected by common descent to gods who resided in mountains, rivers and lakes. Probably due to this belief, the Māori community had strong ties with nature and land, in particular. They also believed that everything possessed a mauri (lifeforce) and wairua (spirit). 
Probably, Māori community is best known for their tattoo art. In fact, the word tattoo has its origin in the Polynesian word tatau which refers to marking something. They literally involved cutting of skin surface and inserting a special ink derived from caterpillars to create beautiful designs. Also they has the Carving that was an intrinsic part of Māori routine life. Traditionally, carvers were considered as agents through whom the Gods communicated and were held in high esteem out of respect.

Today, the Māori language or te reo Māori is one of the official languages of New Zealand. A lot of original Māori words have now been absorbed in New Zealand English language, for instance, kiwi (an exotic bird or kiwi fruit) and kea (a parrot species). Also, A set of proverbial sayings, called whakataukī, is quite popular in Māori community. Normally, at any social gatherings, the tangata whenua (hosts) welcome their manuhiri (guests) by performing traditional dance forms called haka and powhiri. A haka dance signifies respect for the guests, while a powhiri performance means that the community is welcoming the guest. These performances are accompanied by shouts and action songs. Traditional Māori music or Te Pūoro Māori involved songs that were sung as solos, duets or in unison. Vocal songs or waiata were often accompanied by music played on traditional musical instruments such as flutes, bull-roarers and trumpets created from wood.

 
The symbols of a culture define it. Wisdom of the Maoris seeps through the symbols that represent their ethos, and for that every symbol in Maori culture has a different meaning and idea associated with it. This symbolism is expressed in the form of carvings in wood, bone and certain types of stone. They represent the spiritual connection of man with the nature.