Maori famous people. New Zealand's secret past - the mystery of the Waipua Forest

04.04.202127.05.2017

New Zealand... The green islands, on whose hills key episodes of The Lord of the Rings were recently filmed.

General information

This green country is located in the southeastern part of the Pacific region. New Zealand is spread across two large islands and a whole scattering of several hundred small islands. The area of the country can be compared with the territories of the Japanese islands or the whole of Great Britain. is about 4.5 million people. The entire administration is located in the capital - Wellington. The system of government is a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy. The uniqueness is that it is one of all developed countries that was able to develop its economy exclusively on agriculture. Since November 2008, the country has been ruled by the National Party, headed by John Key, who is the Prime Minister.

The Kingdom includes independent islands that have the same currency - the New Zealand dollar. These are Niue, the non-self-governing territory of Tokelau, and the Ross Territory, which lies in the Antarctic zone.

Climate

The people of New Zealand can be quite happy with their country's climate. The northern part of the North Island is subject to a subtropical climate, while in mountainous areas Antarctic winds can bring temperatures down to -20 degrees. A chain of high mountains divides the country in two, thereby dividing it into two climatic zones. The wettest part is the west coast of the South Island. Just a hundred kilometers away, in the east, is the driest part of the state.

In most parts of the country, precipitation reaches 600-1600 mm annually. This amount is distributed evenly, except during dry summer.

The average annual temperature in the south is +10 degrees, in the north - +16. The coldest month in this country, located on the other side of the equator from us, is July. The average daytime temperature is +4-8 degrees, nighttime can drop to -7. The warmest months are January and February. The northern part of the country does not have much difference in temperature according to the time of year, while the southern regions have a difference of up to 14 degrees.

In Auckland, the country's largest city, the average annual temperature is +15.1 degrees. Thus, at the hottest time the temperature can rise to +31.1 degrees, while at the coldest it can drop to -2.5. Wellington's average annual temperature is +12.8 (from -1.9 to +31.1 throughout the year).

In areas of the country protected from the wind, the number of hours of sunshine is high. On average, this amount is 2000 hours per year. Most of the New Zealand population receives large number solar radiation.

Languages

The population can officially speak three languages. New Zealand recognizes English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. The leading language, spoken by 96% of the population, remains English. Magazines and newspapers use this language. It is also used by television and radio. The Maori language is the second most important official language. Signs for the deaf and mute received the status of an official language in 2006.

The New Zealand dialect is very close to the Australian one, but retains a strong influence from the south of England. In parallel to this, he is influenced by Irish and Scottish accents. The significant influence of language also had an impact - some words were forever used by the citizens of the country.

The Maori language received official status in 1987. Its use today is mandatory in all institutions. This language is taught in schools. Although most educational institutions provide the opportunity to study two languages at the same time - English and Maori. Many names in the country have roots in the Maori language.

In addition, representatives of more than 170 language groups permanently reside in the country. The most widely used languages are Samoan, French, Chinese and Hindi. Slavic languages are almost never used on the islands, since the population of New Zealand native speakers is too small.

Religion of New Zealand

The population of New Zealand today is just over 4.5 million people. Among them, 56% are Christians. The next largest religions are Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, Catholicism and Methodism. Then Sikhs, Hindus and followers of Islam take their place. Approximately 35% of the population of New Zealand is made up of undecided members of society who are not inclined to identify themselves with any of the existing religions.

Indigenous people

The indigenous population is Maori. Previously, before the colonization of the islands by Europeans, representatives of this people were their main inhabitants. Today, about 680 thousand people belonging to this people live all over the world.

In addition to their native places, this tribe inhabits Australian and Canadian territories, and also lives in the USA, Great Britain and in very small numbers in other countries.

Literally translated from the native language, the word "Maori" means "normal". In ancient times, people used this concept to distinguish man from a divine creature.

Maori representatives were the first to populate the islands. It is still not clear exactly where these people came from, but they founded their culture, forming a state they called Aotearoa. These people were excellent sailors who could travel in the Pacific Ocean in small boats. At sea, their only reference points were the sun and the starry sky. This knowledge helped them end up in New Zealand much earlier than the Europeans. White people were able to discover the islands only after 800 years, seeing warriors there - fearless and independent.

Occupations of the population

Traditionally, the Maori lived by hunting and mainly by slash-and-burn agriculture. War was an important activity for the ancient Maori. Today, the people occupy a significant place in forestry and agriculture. Crafts originated in ancient times, remaining to this day an important part of culture. The main activities are wood carving, weaving, weaving, jewelry making, and boat building. Maori products are distinguished from any other cultures by the absence of any mention of animals in drawings and sculpture. The main ornament of this people is a spiral, made in various types. The main image is famous people or deity.

Accommodation

New Zealand's population density was initially very low. Maori lived in villages. The buildings were located close to each other and were surrounded by a wooden fence or moat. Houses were built from logs or boards. The roof was thatched. The floor was slightly deeper into the ground to make the room a little cooler in summer and warmer in winter. In addition to residential buildings, there were community houses in the villages, buildings for various entertainments and for gaining knowledge.

The people of New Zealand were forced to invent warm clothes, since the climate did not allow walking in the summer all year round. The people traditionally wore warm cloaks and capes. Women's clothing complemented by long warm skirts. To insulate the fabric (most often it was linen), animal skins or bird feathers were woven into the fibers during weaving.

The main population of New Zealand was traditionally engaged in the manufacture of weapons: darts, spears, poles. The Maori used both a club and an original bayonet weapon called a taiha. A digging stick was mainly used to cultivate the land. Hunters mainly used snares to catch various animals. In wood carving, the main tools were jade or jadeite cutters.

Traditions

The main population of New Zealand today is Maori. In ancient times it was one of the most resilient and cruel peoples. Today their ideas about life seem wild, but for them, cannibalism was commonplace. The Maori ate their captives, believing that the enemy's forces would turn over to them.

Another Maori tradition is tattooing. It was a painful way to show your status. Women decorated their lips and chins, men painted their entire faces. At the same time, the design was not applied using the usual needle method - the tattoos were literally cut into the skin with incisors, it looked like the work of a sculptor. The initiation procedures were no less cruel - a very painful test of endurance. In addition, the Maori cut off the heads of their enemies in order to mummify them later.

Maori today

Finding out the population of New Zealand is very easy. Today the war dance of this people, called “haka,” is very popular in the world. Maori have the exclusive right to this dance. Initially, the haka was a ritual dance, which is accompanied by support in chorus or words shouted at certain intervals. This dance was performed to summon the spirits of nature, or before a battle. The state government has granted tribal members ownership of the war cry.

Civilization has greatly influenced the traditions and views of the Maori - today they are no longer bloodthirsty warriors. However, their culture is still very rich and original. A very important component of Maori culture in our time are the works traditional art. Tourists visiting New Zealand are sure to attend folk craft exhibitions or dancer performances. It is considered obligatory to photograph representatives of local tribes and learn at least a little more about the philosophy and history of this amazing people.

August 27, 2017 10:59 am Rotorua - New Zealand January 2009

Yesterday, having finished our trip around the South Island, we took a ferry across the Cook Strait and in the remaining few evening hours we quickly got acquainted with the New Zealand capital, walking along its old streets in Down Town, the embankment and the Botanical Garden.

Early in the morning we board the bus and leave Wellington, which seemed patriarchal and calm to us. We have a new driver and guide named Colin. Our next overnight stay will be in the city of Rotorua, considered the unofficial capital of the indigenous population of New Zealand - the Maori, and the path to it is not close - almost 450 kilometers.

The road from Wellington heads north along an excellent highway. We pass numerous villages, vineyards and sheep farms. It's drizzling. A few hours later we arrive at the largest lake in the North Island - Taupo. Behind the rain curtain and fog, behind - in the Tongarero National Park - the famous volcanoes Ruapehu (2797 m) and Ngauruhoe (2291 m) remained unseen.

Almost all the names of rivers and mountains here are in the Maori language. Ruapehu means “thundering abyss” in Maori. And the Ngauruhoe volcano is notable for the fact that it was used as Mount Orodruin during the filming of the film “The Lord of the Rings” based on the novel by R. Tolkien. It's a pity. Maybe I’ll be able to see it some other time, and even ride on alpine skiing from the snowy slopes of Ruapehu in winter - from June to September.

It seems surprising to go skiing in a tropical area, but it is true. Ruapehu has some first class ski resorts. And the largest of them is Fakapapa, located on the western slope of the volcano. With a height difference of 675 m, there are more than 20 lifts serving about 40 trails of varying degrees of difficulty. And there are also the resorts of Turoa and Tukino, which are located respectively on the southern and eastern sides of this volcano.

Lake Taupo and the first acquaintance with Maori

And finally, the water surface of Lake Taupo appeared. This is the largest lake not only in New Zealand, but also in the entire South Pacific region, including Australia. Its greatest depth is about 200 meters.

The rain has stopped and Colin pulls into a well-equipped parking lot on the lake shore with a toilet, shower and a kitchen with barbecue equipment. Everything is in perfect condition.

Here, in the parking lot, we met face to face with the first representative of the Maori - father large family, who came here with his family for business purposes. Our women were a little stunned to see a large wash in the women's restroom and shower, which his wife had organized there.

The head of the family himself was busy with the children on the sandy shore of the lake. Older children, similar to our gypsies, ran to the side. And he helped his youngest son sculpt some figures from wet gray volcanic sand.

Coming closer, they asked permission to photograph him - he allowed. We met. His name was Moana - which translated from Maori meant “wide expanse of water, sea.” A conversation began imperceptibly. All of his arms were covered in tattoos. And some of them were not simple - some of them had a completely tattooed surface as their background, and the unaffected places formed an ornament!

It is believed that New Zealand was settled by people from eastern Polynesia about 1000 years ago and they maintained their ancient way of life until the 20th century. The Maori were excellent warriors, they fought for their independence for a long time and, in the end, defended it.

Maori tattooing is an ancient tradition - after all, it shows a person’s social status. At the same time, it is also an initiation (dedication) - a test of endurance, since this procedure is quite painful. For Maoris, a tattoo is not just decoration. Spirals and lines of tattoos also tell the life story of their owner, his genealogy and character traits.

Maori could preserve these designs by embalming the tattooed heads and skin sections of the dead or carving them into wood. So in many houses you can even find the heads of deceased ancestors on the walls, which are used to trace the entire family tree of the family. In this way they preserved their history. Noble men tattooed their entire faces and their bodies from the waist to the knees. We have seen tattoos on the arms and legs of many Maori women. However, our ladies are not lagging behind them now in this regard...

When we parted, Moana introduced us to his wife, who had finished her laundry by this time. Her name was Ataahua - "beautiful". And in fact - she was, as we say with approval - “wow”! And she looks a bit like a gypsy.

And then he showed us the Maori ritual of greeting and farewell - nose to nose. And the longer noses stay together, the more respect you show to your counterpart. Everyone said goodbye to our new friend in Maori and we moved further north.

We are driving along Lake Taupo. It is of volcanic origin and was formed as a result of a powerful eruption of the Taupo volcano about 27,000 years ago. The entire island was then covered with a multi-meter layer of ash, and almost all living things around then died. Here, in the center of the island, there are still several active volcanoes.

Waikato River and Huka Falls

The only river that flows out of Lake Taupo is the Waikato, and we turn to look at its rapid flow and piercing blue water. After a few kilometers it enters a narrow rocky neck and rushes through it with a roar, ending in the crystal clear Huka waterfall (38°38′55″ S, 176°05′25″ E). All tourists come to see this stormy stream.

They stand for a long time and watch in fascination as the soft blue water rushes down from the cliff with furious pressure. For those who have never seen any waterfalls or mountain rivers, Huka Falls seems grandiose.

The water temperature in the river, depending on the summer-winter season, ranges from 22 to 10 degrees, the volume of water - from 32 to 270 cubic meters per second. Depending on the volume of water, the height of the waterfall varies from 7 to 9.5 meters. There was even a small hydroelectric power station at this waterfall for 20 years, but in 1950, in connection with the development of geothermal energy, it was dismantled.

Depending on the sunlight, the color of the water changes from white to deep turquoise. The coniferous forest growing densely along the banks of the river also adds to the picturesqueness of this place.

Due to ongoing erosion, the waterfall is slowly but surely moving upstream and there may come a time when it will overflow directly from the lake...

Geothermal power plants

We drive further towards the city of Rotorua. The smell of hydrogen sulfide appeared in the air—the island’s geothermal activity zone had begun. There are many geysers and boiling ponds around. In many places there is smoke coming from cracks in the ground, so it is better not to go to unfamiliar places.

About 20 kilometers before Rotorua, Colin turns off the road and we find ourselves in the Wairakei Geothermal Power geothermal industrial area. The first experiments on the use of free energy began in 1950 and now a well-functioning industrial installation has been established here.

About 200 wells were drilled to a depth of 2 km, of which only 60 are now operational. Hot steam with a temperature of 230-260 degrees rises to the surface and is separated. Dry air is separated to one side, and hot water to another. The installation capacity is 1400 tons of steam per hour. This source material is then transferred through pipes with a diameter of 300 to 1200 mm to thermal power plants.

Everything is very simple, and most importantly - the heat is obtained “on the ball”! Some people are lucky!

We arrived in Rotorua - the public and secret capital of the indigenous people of New Zealand - the Maori - before dark, so we had time to walk around the area around our Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua before dinner, at which our guide and driver Colin promised a folk concert and national dishes.

Maori culture, art and customs

There was a persistent smell of hydrogen sulfide everywhere, emanating from the numerous hot springs that gurgled everywhere. There was one such small fountain even at the door of the pool of our Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua. There was no way to get rid of hydrogen sulfide, because it was escaping from the ground in large quantities in many places in the city.

Having walked around the city a little before dinner, we saw practically no indigenous Maori. There were few people and mostly they were tourists. The decoration of the city is the hydropathic building, built at the end of the 19th century. It is surrounded by a large park in which strange birds walk freely among the flowers. In many places in the park, plots of land are fenced off and there are wisps of smoke curling out from there and something “crackling” in the depths.

In the evening, right at our hotel, there was a traditional dinner with the national dish Hanga - pieces of meat baked in an earthen oven and a Maori amateur concert. The dinner was normal, but we didn’t see either the cooking process or the earthen oven itself. Looking ahead, I will say that this process was shown to us in full by the islanders in Fiji.

The concert was preceded by an introduction to some basic Maori customs, which were shown to us before dinner by two colorful representatives of this tribe. Well, we became acquainted with these customs - how to say hello and goodbye - back in the day when we met our Maori Moana on Lake Taupo.

Then all the newly arrived tourists were invited to the restaurant and local amateur performances - songs and dances - unfolded on stage. Maori songs were very melodic and playful. And they truly showed their Polynesian roots.

The Maori were warlike and independent and fought the British for a long time. Their dances, and especially the war dance "haka", express the desire to defeat the enemy. Our dancers diligently rolled the whites of their eyes and stuck out their tongues, apparently trying to intimidate the “enemy” to death with such gestures. Interestingly, now some modern sports teams In New Zealand, before meeting with an opponent, they perform this dance on a football or rugby field!

Having delved into the history of the Maori, I was horrified to discover that they had pronounced cannibalistic predilections, just like most other islanders of the Pacific region. But Jules Verne also wrote about this more than a hundred years ago.

It is believed that New Zealand was settled about 1,000 years ago by people from eastern Polynesia who had a weakness for human flesh, and the Maori maintained this ancient way of life until the 20th century. There's even Cannibal Bay on the South Island of NZ. Thousands of human remains from bloody feasts have been found here. They usually ate prisoners...

Many traditions associated with cannibalism had deep roots and were based on the prevailing belief that a dish of the flesh of enemies contained their strong qualities: the brain - wisdom, the heart - courage, etc. Therefore, the white man in this regard had a clear preference over the natives - for the most part they were wise and brave. True, some savages believed that the use of salt by white people spoils the taste of their meat...

Cannibalism was also common in western Polynesia, close to Melanesia, in Fiji, and the Tongan islands. It was common as far east as the Marquesas Islands, Easter Island and the Cook Islands group. The Maori of New Zealand considered the meat of enemies the most desirable target of military action. Throughout Polynesia, the practice of cannibalism was motivated by revenge, since eating the body of an enemy was an expression of the highest degree of contempt for the defeated one.

Knowing all this, these young men performing war dances were seen differently. At the end of the performance, they invited us to the stage to complete this celebration together.

At the same time, we needed to rotate as much as possible in different sides with your eyes, roll the whites of your eyes “to the sky” and stick your tongue out of your mouth as much as possible, and even utter piercing screams of victory at the same time! With such gestures we were supposed to intimidate the “enemy” to the extreme.

By the way, we met one of these warrior-dancers the next day in a thermal reserve, where he worked as a woodcarver. Without saying a word, we greeted each other like old acquaintances - in Maori - nose to nose!
— a geothermal zone with its geysers and mud volcanoes, a show with rams and sheep in the “Agrodome” and an introduction to Maori folk arts and crafts.

Maori- Polynesian people, indigenous people of New Zealand.
The self-name "Maori" means "ordinary"/"natural". This is how mortal people are designated in Maori myths, as opposed to deities and spirits. The Maori have a legend about how they arrived in New Zealand in 7 canoes from their ancestral home of Hawaii. Modern research suggests that then-uninhabited New Zealand was settled by Polynesians around 1280 AD. By that time, all the current habitats of mankind were already inhabited. The ancestral home of the Maoris and all Polynesians is the island of Taiwan near mainland China. People came directly to New Zealand from the islands of Eastern Polynesia.

Map of Polynesian migration to New Zealand:

Maori and the giant moa bird. Photo collage made in 1936. Moa were destroyed by the Maori long before Europeans arrived in New Zealand. According to unconfirmed evidence, individual representatives of these birds were still encountered in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Less than 4 centuries after the settlement of New Zealand, the first Europeans appeared here. It was the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman. The meeting between Maori and Europeans, which took place in 1642, ended tragically: the Maori attacked the landing Dutch, killed several sailors, ate them (the Maori practiced cannibalism) and disappeared. Annoyed by the incident, Tasman called this place Murderers Bay.

Modern Maori. Photo by Jimmy Nelson

Once again, a European set foot on New Zealand soil only 127 years later: in 1769, the expedition of James Cook arrived here, which marked the beginning of the colonization of New Zealand by the British. James Cook himself escaped the teeth of the Maori, but was killed and eaten by another Polynesian people - the Hawaiians.

By 1830, the number of Europeans in New Zealand reached 2 thousand, with 100 thousand Maori. Maori traditionally did not have commodity-money relations and trade, but practiced barter. The British exchanged land from the Maori in exchange for, for example, firearms.

artist Arnold Frederick Goodwin - New Zealand's first plow

Between 1807 and 1845, the so-called Musket Wars broke out between the tribes of New Zealand's North Island. The impetus for the conflict was the spread of firearms - muskets - among the Maori. The northern tribes, in particular the long-time rivals Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Fatua, were the first to receive firearms from the Europeans and inflicted considerable damage on each other and neighboring tribes. In total, 18 and a half thousand Maori died in these wars, i.e. approximately a fifth of all indigenous people in New Zealand. By 1857, there were only 56 thousand Maori in New Zealand. In addition to wars, diseases brought by Europeans caused great damage to the local population.

Maori men. Photos from the early 20th century:

In 1840, Great Britain and some Maori tribal leaders signed a written treaty, called the Treaty of Waitangi, in accordance with the provisions of which the Maori transferred New Zealand to Great Britain, but retained their property rights, and Great Britain received the exclusive right to purchase land from them. However, even after the signing of the treaty, military clashes arose between the Maori and the British.

Maori tribal leaders:

A Maori cuts down a flagpole with a British flag. 1845

The British attack a Maori village. 1845

artist Joseph Merrett. Maori (1846)

artist Joseph Merrett. Four Maori girls and a young man (1846)

Maori girl

Maori girl (1793)

Maori man and girl:

Maori girls:

In 1891, Māori made up only 10% of New Zealand's population and owned 17% of the land, much of it low-grade.
In the 30s of the 20th century, the number of Maori began to increase, largely thanks to the family allowance introduced for Maori, issued at the birth of a child.

Maori couple, early 20th century

Maori girls in European clothes

Maori girls

Maori grandfather

Maori grandmother

Now, according to the 2013 census, 598.6 thousand Maori live in New Zealand, which is 14.9% of the country’s population. About 126 thousand Maori live in Australia and 8 thousand in the UK.
Despite the fact that the Maori language, along with English, is the official language of New Zealand, the majority of Maori in everyday life prefer English. About 50 thousand people speak Maori fluently and about 100 thousand understand the language but do not speak it.
Christianity has replaced traditional Maori beliefs and today the majority of Maori are Christians different branches, including syncretic cults created among the Mori themselves. About 1 thousand Maori profess Islam.

children in the New Zealand museum at the exhibition of Maori culture

Meri Te Tai Mangakahia (1868-1920) - Maori feminist who fought for Maori women's rights

Despite all attempts to equalize whites and Maoris, the indigenous population of New Zealand remains the most backward social group in the country, inferior not only to whites, but also to migrants from Asia. Maori have the lowest level of education and make up half of New Zealand's prison population (even though they make up only 14.9% of the state's population). Finally, Maori have a lower life expectancy than other New Zealanders. This is due to the fact that Maori have a much higher rate of alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking and obesity.

modern Maori woman:

modern Maori man:

modern Maori girls:

New Zealand actor Manu Bennett. The blood of Maori warriors flowing in his veins helped the actor convincingly play the stern gladiator Crixus in the American TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010) and its sequels

Maureen Kingi is the first Maori to win the title of Miss New Zealand. This happened in 1962

Artist Edward Cole. Maori girl with apples (30s of the 20th century)

Poster "New Zealand for your next holiday" (1925)

"See You in New Zealand" Poster (1960)

Maori are the indigenous people, the main population of New Zealand - before the arrival of Europeans. The population in New Zealand is more than 526 thousand people, approximately 10 thousand people each. live in Australia and the USA. In the Maori language, the word maori means "normal", "natural" or "ordinary". In legends and oral traditions, the word Maori distinguished people from deity and spirit.

The Maori themselves believe that they arrived in New Zealand in 7 canoes from their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki. Modern research suggests that then-uninhabited New Zealand was settled by Polynesians around 1280 AD. By that time, all the current habitats of mankind were already inhabited. The ancestral home of the tribe and all Polynesians is the island of Taiwan near mainland China. People came directly to New Zealand from the islands of Eastern Polynesia.

Society was structured the same as in the rest of Polynesia. The same classes were distinguished here: nobles (rangatira), ordinary community members (tutua), captive slaves (taurekareka). Among the nobility, the leaders (ariki) stood out especially. The priests (tohunga) were held in high esteem. The word “tohunga” was also used to describe artists (carvers). The community (hapu) consisted of one village and was divided into groups (whanau), that is, 1-2 houses.

In general, Maori culture is different from that of other Polynesians. The reason for this is other natural conditions. In the field of spiritual culture, they preserved a lot of Polynesian, but they also created their own, original heritage.

Meeting with Europeans

Less than 4 centuries after the settlement of New Zealand, the first Europeans appeared here. The name of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman remains known. The meeting between Maori and Europeans, which took place in 1642, ended tragically: local residents attacked the landing Dutch, killed several sailors, ate them with pleasure (the Maori practiced cannibalism) and disappeared. Annoyed by the incident, Tasman called this place Murderers Bay.

Maori are one of the peoples of Oceania. Its population is currently about 750 thousand people (half of all Polynesians). Maori live in New Zealand (about 600 thousand), the Cook Islands and Australia. They settled New Zealand relatively recently - in the 13th-14th centuries AD. Their language belongs to the Polynesian group of the Austronesian family.

Maori character

New Zealand was the last to be settled large territories, suitable for life. According to a number of theories, it follows that the Maori were losers, outcasts who had no place in the world. same place, and they were forced to look new home. At the same time, however, mThe Aori are considered a warlike tribe. They acquired such a reputation among Europeans from the very first meeting, which took place on November 24, 1642, when the Tasman expedition set foot on the shores of New Zealand. The meeting ended in a skirmish, the killing and devouring of several members of the expedition. After Tasman, almost every European navigator came into conflict with the Maori. Although Cook was still eaten not by them (which is a common misconception), but by related Hawaiians.

Maori ritual dance

Maori culture

According to some sources, the Maori did not always practice the cult of war. They acquired belligerence as a result of climate change and a series of tectonic disasters, which led New Zealand to a sharp reduction in biological resources. However, perhaps the main reason was the Maori themselves, who exterminated or reduced local populations, because they did not know such large and predatory mammals before the arrival of man, and therefore did not develop protection.

Limited resources led to wars, which quickly became ingrained in the culture and social structure. Maori began to build fortified settlements, develop tactics, and improve weapons. Contact with Europeans, especially whalers who were not particularly concerned with ethical issues, opened up new horizons for the Maori. The culture of potato cultivation made it possible to create strategic food reserves, and firearms led to revolutionary changes in military affairs. The so-called “musket wars” began - an endless series of internecine skirmishes that lasted from 1807 to 1847. In 1835, several groups of Maori raided Chatham Island, exterminating or enslaving the related Moriori tribe living there.

The musket wars ended only with the emergence of a new enemy - the British crown. Stubborn resistance to colonization, although doomed to defeat in a military sense, led to results in a political sense. The tribes retained their land holdings, and the Maori themselves received equal rights with the colonists, which was rare in the 19th century. Property stratification for a long time left the indigenous inhabitants outside political life, but in 1867 four constituencies were created on Maori lands (later increased to 7) and the people were given representation in Parliament.

Maori mythologists

Maori did not worship animals. Their gods had a mostly human appearance and coexisted with heroes - ancestors, ancestors of tribes. Maori remember the names of the founders, who, according to legend, arrived in New Zealand (Ao Tea Roa) in seven boats.

Some researchers believe that the Maori invented the supreme deity Io, the creator of all things, before the arrival of Europeans. However, most likely this is a later Christian stratification caused by missionary activity, and the name itself comes from Jehovah. Too obvious parallels can be traced in the descriptions (for example, the knowledge of good and evil is associated with Io).

Tanya is much more suitable for the role of the supreme deity. He is the god of fertility, the god of forests and birds, but he, according to the cosmogonic myth, created women by separating the feminine (Earth) from the masculine (Sky), which became an act of creation. In modern interpretation, however, Tane occupies a modest place. He is the son of Papa (Earth) and Rangu (Sky), although he separated his parents at the beginning.

The war god Tumatauenga occupies a special place in the Maori pantheon. In the cosmogonic myth, he opposed Tane, intending to kill his parents instead of separating them. Interestingly, it was from the god of war, Tumatauenga, that the Maoris descended, according to their ideas.

The concept of mana, a magical substance, also reflects the Maori warrior paradigm. Magic power that can be accumulated or spent, it can be lost as a result of the directed actions of the enemy. It also makes it possible to harm another person. Tapu (taboo) is a system of protection against the harmful effects of mana, and moko tattoos are designed, among other things, to control magic.