Māori Religion

Māori religion is a term that describes the various religious beliefs and practices of the Polynesian indigenous people of New Zealand. It differed little from the beliefs and practices of Hawaiki Nui, the Eastern Polynesian homeland of the Māori. Hawaiki, or Havaiʻi, is the old name for Raiatea, the second largest of the Society Islands after Tahiti. It is likely that the organised migrations to the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand and other parts of East Polynesia started at Raiatea. Many Polynesians, including the Māori, beleive that Raiatea is both the ancestral homeland and the underworld dwelling place of ancestors and spirits. The Māori beleived that everything, including natural elements and all living things, is connected through whakapapa (the genealogical descent of all living things from God down to present times). Accordingly, Māori regarded all things as possessing a life force, or mauri. Illustrating this concept of connectedness are the major personifications, gods and spirits called Atua that date from before the period of European contact. Tangaroa is the great atua of the sea, lakes, rivers, and creatures that dwell in them (especially fish). As Tangaroa-whakamau-tai, he controls the tides and is sometimes depicted as a whale. Tangaroa is a son of Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother), who used to lie in a tight embrace. Their children lived in the darkness between them but grew frustrated with their cramped confinement. Tūmatauenga, or Tū, future god of war, proposes that they should kill their parents. Tāne, future god of forests and the father of birds, trees, and humans, suggests that it is better to separate them. After many failed attempts by his brothers, Tāne lies on his back and pushes his parents apart with his strong legs. Afterward, Tangaroa is attacked by his brother Tāwhirimātea, a weather god, and forced to hide in the sea. Tangaroa's son, Punga, has two children: Ikatere, the ancestor of fish, and Tū-te-wehiwehi, the ancestor of reptiles. Terrified by Tāwhirimātea's attacks, the fish seek shelter in the sea. The reptiles seek shelter in the forests. Ever since, Tangaroa has held a grudge against Tāne because he offers refuge to his runaway children. When Māori go to sea to fish or to travel, they are representatives of Tāne entering enemy territory. For this reason, it was important that offerings were made to Tangaroa prior to an expedition. Brother Rango is the atua of peace and of cultivated plants, especially kumara (sweet potatoes), a vital crop. Brother Haumia-tiketike, or Haumia, is the atua of all uncultivated vegetative food. Brother Urutengangana is the god of light. Urutengangana had two wives. Wife Moeahuru gave birth to the red sun. Wife Hineturama gave birth to the waxing moon and also produced the stars. In the struggle between the forces of light and darkness, Urutengangana at first sided with Whiro, lord of darkness and embodiment of all evil, but in later times allied himself with Tāne. Brother Rūaumoko is the atua of earthquakes, volcanoes and seasons. The first woman, Hineahuone, was created by Tāne from the soil. The union of Tāne and Hineahuone produced daughter Hinetītama, custodian of the threshold between night and day, between darkness and light. Hinetītama later became Hinenui-te-pō, the goddess of the dead. Prior to the 1830's, the warlike Māori practiced cannibalism for purposes of revenge, since killing and eating a man was the most vengeful and degrading thing one person could possibly do to another. Colonization by Europeans worked to suppress Māori traditions. In the 1896 census, New Zealand had a Māori population of 42,113, by which time Europeans numbered more than 700,000. The Māori population began to recover in the 20th century. Influential Māori politicians worked to revitalize the Māori people after the devastation of the previous century, advocating the partial adoption of European practices while also retaining traditional culture.