Maori History and Culture

The Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of Aoteroa. (New Zealand). They are Polynesian and comprise about 10% of the country's population. Maoritanga is the native language which is related to Tahitian and Hawaiian.It is believed that legendary navigation man kupe came from Hawaiki. Then he was back to "Hawaiki"(Hawaii) and told about Aoteroa. Maori legend says that the Maori came from "Hawaiki"the legendary homeland about 1000 years ago. When the Maori arrived in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and they found a land of volcanic activity and snow capped mountains. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand and means Land of the long white cloud. In the Maori language the word maori means "normal", "natural" and "ordinary".

Maori has tattoos on their face or all over. The design used by the Maori thought to have been later adopted Polynesians and even in China tattoos. Ta moko was used as a form of rank; genealogy, tribal history and eligibility to marry. Women were traditionally only allowed to be tattooed on their lips, around the chin, and sometimes the nostrils.