Maori, Celebrating Culture

 

Māori, Celebrating Culture

For over 1000 years, Māori have been the Tangata Whenua, the indigenous people of New Zealand.

15% of New Zealand’s population are Maori. 

Māori are warriors and a very strongly connected to their spirituality. In spite of having been strongly influenced in the past, the Maori people have kept their culture alive, still speaking the traditional language and performing ancient ceremonies.

Some core concepts of Māori culture are Mana, Tapu and Utu.

Mana is the Māori concept that represents power and prestige. Mana is enhanced through the Maori’s actions and responses to events of life.

Tapu means untouchable. The Polynesian concept of Tapu is the strongest force in Māori life. Tapu rules and prohibitions are sacred spiritual restrictions. A person, object or place that is Tapu may not be touched or, in some cases, not even approached.

Utu is often defined as revenge, but it actually refers to the balance and harmony within society. Utu often was a gift exchange to establish and maintain social bonds and obligations. Up to this day, Utu means that everything has to be put right.

Kapa Haka

Kapa haka, traditional Māori performing arts are a powerful part of the New Zealand culture. Kapa means to form a line. Haka means to dance. Kapa Haka is an emotional and powerful combination of song, dance and chanting. The graceful action songs and ferocious war dances including the demonstration of traditional weapons are a magnificent spectacle.

                                                                 Waiata-ā-ringa

Waiata-ā-ringa are the action songs and dances, where the lyrics are enhanced by hand movements. In a movement called Wiri, the dancers flutter their hands quickly to symbolize shimmering waters, heat waves or a breeze moving the leaves of a tree. Accompanied by a guitar, these dances can be slow, fast, serious, fun or flirtatious.

                                                                        PoiPoi

PoiPoi is a dance in where each performer skillfully twirls one or more poi (ball on a chord) in perfect harmony with the others. Striking the ball on the hand or body adds a percussive rhythm. Poi dancers are usually women dancing with grace, beauty and charm.

                                                                     
The group dance Haka is the ceremonial Māori war dance. Haka represents pride, strength and unity.
Stomping of the feet, protrusion of the tongue and rhythmic body slapping accompany a loud chant incorporating traditional weapons like the Taiaha (spear-like weapons) and Patu (clubs). The lyrics often describe ancestors and events in the tribe's history.

                                                                   
Pūkana (facial expressions) emphasizes the dance and the dancer’s ferocity and passion.
The women open their eyes wide while jutting out their chin. The men stretch out their tongue and bar their teeth. All these expressions show strong and deep-felt emotions.

                                                                       Ta mojo
Māori facial and body tattooing is known as Tā moko.
Tā moko reflects an individual's whakapapa (ancestry) and personal history. Facial tattoos have great significance. With the head being the most sacred part of the body, men received Mataora on their face as a symbol of nobility.

Moko kauae are the tattoos for women which are placed on their lips and chin. A moko kauae represents a woman’s leadership within her community as well as her status, and abilities.
The moko kauae is a physical manifestation of a woman’s true identity. It is believed every Māori woman wears a moko on the inside, close to their heart; when they are ready, the tattoo artist simply brings it out to the surface. The moko is a rite of passage between girl and adulthood.

                                                               Maori Necklaces

Made out of bone, wood or jade, Maori pendants have great spiritual and cultural significance to honor ancestors and mythological beings.

One of them is the Koru which is the unfurling fern frond of New Zealand's silver fern. Most Koru pendants are carved from bone. The spiral shape symbolizes new life, growth, a fresh start and new beginnings. It represents the Mana, spiritual power, positive change and awakening of a person.
Koru's spiral form simulates perpetual movement. The inner curl resembles going back to the origin. It resembles the concept of ever-changing life and also staying the same.

necklaces are often given as a gift for a special occasions like marriages or pregnancies. Koru symbolizes the strength of the bond between people.

The main characteristics of the Maori people are: Dependability, bravery, sensitivity, open-mindedness and humility. The Maori’s values and beliefs are focused on land, water and air which are essential to life and have to be respected, honored and sustained.

The cultural strength and beauty of the Maori people inspired the creation of Hawaiian Art Doll Ana, the Maori Dancer.

                                                Ana (Gracious), the Maori Dancer

                                                     Birth Date: August 21, 2022

                       Ana’s dance reveals the power of positive change and awakening.

Graciously Ana dances and chants the PoiPoi (Maori dance). She flutters her hands to symbolize the shimmering waters and the breeze moving the leaves in the trees. With grace, beauty and charm, she twirls her 2 PoiPois (balls) in perfect harmony with each other.

              Ana has the greatest respect for all of life and always honors it in her dance.

Ana’s moko kauae (chin tattoo) symbolizes her rite of passage between girl and adulthood. Like all Maori women, Ana wears a moko on the inside, close to her heart. When she was ready, the tattoo artist simply brought it out to the surface of her chin.

In honor of her rite of passage, Ana’s grandmother gave her a Koru (spiral) necklace. It symbolizes a fresh start with new beginnings. The necklace represents Ana’s Mana, her spiritual power and awakening.
Grandmother also made Ana’s piupiu (flax skirt) and tāniko bodice with a matching headband. She sewed a red skirt and matching panties to wear under the piupiu.

Ana is a 7” tall cloth doll. The body is made out of doll skin, stuffed with high quality poly fill and wired for flexibility. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto the face giving the doll a unique personality. All accessories were individually hand crafted.
Ana is not dress up dolls. All clothing and accessories are sewn and/or glued onto her.

Doll care: Gently brush the dolls and their clothing with a soft toothbrush to remove dust. Always brush the faces and bodies upwards towards the hair. Do not brush the hair!

Ana is a one of a kind Hawaiian Art Dolls and comes with a booklet and certificate of authenticity. She is a collector’s item bringing you the spiritual power of New Zealand.
Every bit of Ana has been lovingly handcrafted to create a new friend who will last a lifetime.

                  Ana is ready to be your new friend and dance her way into your heart.

                                  Join Ana in her celebrations of new beginnings!

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