The Māori worldview

Engaging with Māori requires an understanding of the Māori worldview. It is this worldview that guides our thoughts, feelings, decision-making. Where most of modern society has been focused on ‘me first’ or ‘in the now’ the Māori worldview is a collective legacy of people, places, words, and actions that are the signposts for guidance and give a deep knowledge of time, space and self that has been passed down for centuries. Decisions are deliberate, considered and collective.

Ingā rā o mua - the days that hang in front of us

For Māori the past hangs in front of you, the future behind you. We look to our past, the actions and decisions of our ancestors to inform the decisions we make for our future. The responsibility of Iwi is to maintain and grow for the next generation. The representatives of Iwi you’ll engage with now will look to their past, to inform their present and decide their future.

Ka mua, ka muri - walking backwards into our future

Iwi Māori are values-driven and intergenerational in our thinking. We have huge respect for those that have come before us, their decisions, and we are always considering how our present decisions may affect our future generations.

Guiding Values

(1) Whanaungatanga

The tūāpapa (foundation) where identity and a sense of who we are comes from.

I am we/us. It is a kinship belonging to the shared values and strength of the group.

‘I/Me’ does not have a place in whanaungatanga. Collectivism is valued and not individualism, ‘I’ is subsumed because the whānau (family) group is all that exists. Build enclusive work teams and partnerships founded on shared experiences and understandings. This will be the pou (pillar) that builds a sense of belonging and place.

(2) Manaakitanga

This is to care for a person's mana. This is about values of integrity, trust and sincerity. It encompasses the way you greet your attendees/delegates, or clients when they arrive to your place and space and acknowledging who and where they come from. On the marae it is demonstrated through each stage of the pōwhiri process - karanga, whaikōrero, hongi, harirū and kai. Manaakitanga is realised through connection and whakapapa. If the mana of your organisation is important then it is vital to manaaki the mana with respect.

(3) Kotahitanga

The base kupu (word) is 'tahi', a numeral meaning one, individual or single. 'Tanga' changes the word into a noun meaning unity or togetherness - oneness. Kotahitanga is a unique word because it cannot exist without there being more than one. It begins from two or more. Kotahitanga is the ultimate mātāpono (principle) combining different aspects into one fluent and united sense of being. When making important decisions for your organisation, let your team be involved, hear them out and get their whakaaro (thoughts). This will create a space of collective action and solidarity.

(4) Rangatiratanga

Leadership and self governance is captured in Rangatiratanga. An absolute power, of mana, of the highest realm. It is Māori centred on affording the absolute right to be self determining and in control of one's resources and affairs without impediment.

(5) Kaitiakitanga

An extension of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga is guardianship, and to care for our environments. The places, spaces and systems that sustain us. Land, locations, and the people that play an important role in looking after what is necessary to survive. As modern society grasps the concept of sustainability, for Māori it has always been an intrinsic part of how we show respect for the land, the sea, the forests, rivers, mountains and lakes that provide our kai and support our Iwi.

(1) Kawa

Is the formal customary guidance on what must be done

(2) Tikanga

Are the modes, methods, procedures and protocols on how what must be done, gets done

In simpler terms;

(1) Kawa is what we do

(2) Tikanga is how we do it

THE WHY

The essence of why there is Kawa and Tikanga is to ensure we uphold the Mana of the spaces, places and people that are a part of our communities, family, and our journey in life.

Mana

Is power, honour, deep respect. It imbues an elevated presence, a higher level of place and space, to land, a person, a group. It provides a sense of empowerment, intrinsic strength of spirit.

(1) A pōwhiri (or pōhiri) is a formal welcome performed by tāngata whenua (local people) to welcome manuhiri (visitors) who are meeting for the first time.

(2) The lifting of tapu (sacred spiritual restrictions) and uncovering the intentions behind the manuhiri's visit were always brought to light during pōwhiri.

(3) Today it can also be used before an important meeting, an event, at a conference or to welcome dignitaries or foreign visitors.

(4) A Pōwhiri focuses on the essential value of Manaakitanga (caring for a person's mana and showing respect).

In a formal Pōwhiri you are likely to find the following activities.

Te Wero - The challenge

A wero was carried out to uncover the intentions of the manuhiri (visitors). It was how tāngata whenua (local people) could see if the manuhiri’s intentions were as friend or foe.

Tāngata whenua would send their kaiwero (male warriors) out to meet the approaching manuhiri. If intentions were good, they were welcomed onto the pā (marae grounds), however if they were not, they would be challenged by the tāngata whenua with battle/war.

Although less common nowadays, as the need to decide friend or foe is less life or death as it was in the past, the wero has evolved into a ceremony that is used for important gatherings or people of status.

Karanga

The first voice heard during a powhiri, drawing manuhiri (visitors) into Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) is the kaikaranga (caller). The call represents the cry of Papatūānuku (the earth Mother) calling to Ranginui (the sky Father) as they were parted. In present context it is the wail of the caller echoing that ancestral call, calling the manuhiri into space and place, crossing over from daily life into a location of special reverence. This call opens the path for manuhiri to make their way onto the pā (meeting space / marae grounds).

The call is a direct reference to mana (a spiritual power that instills respect and reverence) that is about to cross the marae. Midway across the space, manuhiri and tangata whenua pause to remember loved ones who have passed. We call this maharatanga (remembrance). Following this pause, the manuhiri are invited to seat themselves opposite the tāngata whenua.

Whaikōrero

Literally whaikōrero means whai (pursue/follow) and korero (talk). The spokesperson/s of the iwi will use whakapapa (genealogy), kōrero o mua (tribal histories), whakataukī (proverbs), haka (posture and movement), waiata (song), mihi ki ngā mate (greeting to those who have passed / eulogy) to establish links between themselves and the mana of those who have come onto the place or space.Te Ao Māori is all about connection. Recognising and acknowledging the connections between visitor and local representation is an important facet of making manuhiri feel welcome.

The order of speakers (and who has authority to speak) varies between Iwi but there is usually at least one representative of each tāngata whenua and manuhiri party. After each speaker, or set of speakers, a waiata mōteatea (song to support and conclude the speech) is sung in support of the speaker. This adds to the wairuatanga (spirituality) of the proceedings as song and speech are integral to creating connection between past and present, the earth and sky.

Hongi

At the conclusion of speeches and the affirming of connections, everyone comes together to hongi (press their noses together, share the breath of life) and harirū (shake hands with each other).

The hongi represents the sharing of breath; inhale before your noses touch together and exhale after the touch. Following the verbal connection made through whaikōrero, we now share breath, and shake hands, cementing our relationship and creating a tangible physical connection.

In the moment of hongi we are connected through mind, body and spirit, united with a common purpose. A unique and genuine gesture that signifies peacemaking, shared life and the promotion of well-being and care for each other.

Hākari / Kai

The last phase of the formal welcome. An extension of the manaaki we have built collectively through the powhiri process. The final step in our manaakitanga (process of showing respect and care) is to share kai (food). The sharing of food represents freeing of tapu (sacred restrictions). It is a time to share that which sustains us.

NB: The Pōwhiri process and speechmaking varies from Iwi to Iwi. The Kawa under which your welcome will take place is a good point of initial discussion to cover. E.g. A small number of Iwi do the hongi and harirū at the very beginning then everyone sits to begin the whaikōrero. Some whaikōrero follow a pāeke (process) when all Tāngata whenua speak, then the manuhiri are invited to speak. Others use a Tau-utuutu (alternate between Tāngata Whenua and Manuhiri) with the Tāngata Whenua being the last to speak.

A hui is an activity that brings people together for a common purpose, a gathering or the assembly of people to discuss a particular topic, issue or project - commonly known today as a meeting. Hui were and are called for many reasons and traditionally always held at a meeting place, or wharenui of a marae (traditional meeting house). The attitude and wairua (spirit) of participants change when we are surrounded by Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) and cloaked in manaakitanga - to be respectful and upholding a person’s mana.

Stages of a hui

(1) Karakia Timatanga (Opening incantation)

Always start with karakia. It calms the mood and settles the wairua (spirit). People are transported into the spiritual world, to the domain of atua tūpuna (ancestor god) Rongo and peace. When we karakia we know to be respectful and quiet, and listen. See appendix 2 for some useful karakia.

(2) Mihimihi

All people present, acknowledge who they are through mihimihi (greetings), pepeha and whakapapa (family personal history and connections). We do this because no business can start until the procedures of welcome are completed.

(3) Pepeha

Pepeha is a unique Aotearoa way to introduce ourselves. We acknowledge our tāngata whenua (people of the land) origins, that connect us to mountains, land, water and people to describe who we are. An acknowledgement of the natural world and our place in it.

(4) A simple Pepeha example

Ko (name of mountain you descend from) te maunga

Ko (name of river/ocean you descend from) te awa / moana

Ko (name of meeting house you descend from) te whare

Ko (name of canoe/ship that brought you here) te waka

Ko (name of your tribe) te iwi

Ko (your name) ahau.

(5) Mahi i tēnei wā

After the meeting has been opened following tikanga practices - karakia, mihimihi, pepeha, the work may begin. When hosting a meeting, a good suggestion is to arrange seating in a circle, this encourages a sense of community, inclusivity, ‘we and not Me.’ Our tūpuna (ancestors) were group-focused and community-minded with everyone working for the benefit of everyone else.

(6) Karakia Whakamutunga

It is a way to close the meeting in the same spirit it was begun. To ensure everyone transitions securely and safely to their next activity. See appendix 2 for some useful karakia.

Pronunciation

Te Reo pronunciation is actually quite easy. Unlike English, for the most part, in Te Reo the individual vowel sounds never really change. So an ‘an ’a’ always sounds the same.

Doubling vowels e.g. ‘aa’ just means the pronunciation is extended, and macrons are used to represent either doubling or emphasis.

Vowel and phonetic pronunciation

A = Ar (as in far)

E = Air (as in hair)

I = E (as in see)

O = Awe (as in awesome)

U = U (as in flu)

Consonants

Are hard consonants and unlike English, Te Reo doesn’t use all the consonants you may be familiar with. (The soft exceptions are noted below)

Te Reo uses:

H

K

M

N

Ng (as in singer)

P

R

T

W

Wh (Wh pronounced as an F, some Iwi do not pronounce as an F, check your local Iwi)

Karakia (opening and closing incantations to support the wairua of hui and huihuinga)

Karakia Timatanga (Traditional opening incantation)

Whakataka te hau ki te uru

Whakataka te hau ki te tonga

Kia mākinakina ki uta

Kia mātaratara ki tai

E hī ake ana te atākura

He tio, he huka, he hauhū

Tihei mauri ora!

Get ready for the westerly wind

and be prepared for the southerly winds.

It will be old inland,

and cold on the shore.

May the dawn rise red-tipped on ice, on snow, on frost.

Behold, the essence of life!

NB: regardless of the direct transliteration this karakia is about being prepared for what is to come next, and is a recognised and suitable karakia to open a meeting.

Karakia Whakamutunga (Traditional closing incantation)

Kia whakairia te tapu

Kia wātea ai te ara

Kia turuki whakataha ai

Kia turuki whakataha ai

Haumi ē! Hui ē! Taiki ē

[everyone joins speaker in saying Taiki ē]

Restrictions are set aside

The pathway is clear

To return to our everyday activities

Allied, together, as one

Karakia mō te kai (Incantation before consuming food)

Tēnei te whakamoemiti

Mō ngā ringawera i whakaritea i ēnei kai

Mai te rangi

Mai i te whenua

Mai i te taiao

Mauri ora!

Here we give thanks

To the hands that prepared this food

From the sky

From the land

From the environment

The essence of good health!

Karakia kaupapa maha (multipurpose prayer, open or close a hui)

Tūtawa mai i runga

Tūtawa mai i raro

Tūtawa mai i roto

Tūtawa mai i waho

Kia tau ai te mauri tū

Kia tau ai te mauri ora ki te katoa

Haumi ē! Hui ē! Taiki ē!

[everyone joins speaker in saying Taiki ē]

Come forth from above,

From below,

From within,

From the environment

Fill us with vitality and well being, for all

Strengthened in unity.

Allied, together, as one