Analysis Of The Māori Worldview

A holistic and cyclical way of viewing the word is the closest possible description of the Māori worldview; or their way of living. This is also known as tikanga Māori, which refers to the general behavior guidelines for daily interactions in the Māori culture. One way to consider tikanga Māori can be as a mean of social control, by doing so tikanga Māori controls interpersonal relationships, provides ways for groups to meet and interact, and also determines how individuals identify themselves . The concepts of tikanga Māori remain constant, however their practices can vary between iwi (tribe) and hapū (sub-tribe). For example, the way in which a hapū and iwi greet their visitors may differ from another’s. However they both ensure that they meet the responsibilities of manaakitanga (hospitality) for their guests.

The Māori culture is special in its own way and especially in terms of their cultural and traditional practices. In this essay, I will be discussing three important concepts of Māori worldview in the context of tangihanga (Māori funeral rite). The first one being tapu, the word itself can be defined as being sacred, set-apart or special and it’s one of the most important spiritual attribute . Tapu collaborate aspects of control, power and restrictions to the world we live in and this allows for an overlap between the physical and the spiritual world, this overlap between the two worlds corresponds to the idea of intrinsic and extrinsic tapu. The second concept is manaaki, at its heart, the term refers to the need for reciprocal hospitality and respect between different, people, groups and cultures. The term is derived from the word ‘mana’ (power,authority), and acknowledges the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than your own, through the expression of aroha (love, hospitality and generosity). Last concept is noa (free, without restraint) and how it relates to tangihanga. Noa is basically the opposite of tapu and means ‘common, ordinary and free from tapu or any other restrictions’. After all, Tapu, noa and manaaki are three main concepts of the Māori world which provide a foundation from which all other cultural concepts can be understood.

Tangihanga is the enduring Māori ritual which is practiced to mourn the dead. It is commonly called ‘tangi’, which means to ‘weep, and sing a dirge’. The dead play in important role in the Māori community, they are acknowledged through karanga (calls), whaikōrero (speeches), songs and tears. The Māori people will travel from all over aotearoa to pay their respects to their relatives, workmate or a leader of some renown. This ceremony reminds the Māori people of their whakapapa (genealogy) and the importance of life, people and relationships. For the tangihanga ceremony the tūpāpaku (corpse) is prepared by specialist people within a hapū (sub-tribe), due to the increased intensity of tapu associated with death. The tangihanga often takes three days and is held on a marae (sacred meeting ground for the Māori), however due the increasing urbanisation it can be also be held at a private house/hall. The body is welcomed onto the marae with the whānau pani (the bereaved), where the visitors can come and visit their loved ones. On the final day, it is common to have a minister or tohunga (priest, specialist in a field) to attend the ceremony, and it is only after that the body is taken to the urupā (cemetery, burial ground) for burial. Most urupā have a water container at the entrance, so people can wash their hands as they leave the cemetery. Takahi whare is also practiced, which is a ceremony performed after the burial of the deceased to clear the house from the spirit of the deceased and also remove the tapu. The ceremony is performed by a tohunga or a religious leader, reciting karakia (Māori incantation and prayers) and sprinkling water while walking across the rooms of the house.

As I mentioned, tapumeans ‘holy’ or ‘sacred’, it is believed to have a strong connection with mana (Newman 2018). Mana refers to spiritual power or authority and its source was spiritual or supernatural, the atua (gods) according to the traditional Māori belief. Every individual is born with an increment of mana. A child’s inheritance of mana depends upon the achievements of their parents, their social position and what they have done for the tribal groups. Parents with high level of tapu and mana will pass onto their children an enhanced increment of mana. Although mana is a gift from the atua, how much of it a person possessed at any given time is determined by an intersubjective assessment of person and the individuals those surround him or her. However, one can increase it’s mana through personal achievements and good work. For example, being chosen as an All Black can be viewed us uplifting the mana of the tribe, because everyone will know the selected person is a member of the tribe. So as mana grows, so does tapu. Tapu and mana have a strong link, as tapu is the ultimate power of the atua, the amount of tapu is determined by the extent of godly influence. For example, the Māori chiefs and tohunga, having derived great influence from the atua had a greater degree of tapu. Similar to mana, everyone possess a form of tapu from the moment they are born; intrinsic tapu. It comes from the atua and is always present regardless of the situation or circumstance. The other form is extrinsic tapu (also known as extension of tapu) can fluctuate throughout one’s lifetime. For example, the degree of tapu can increase during childbirth, or when someone is very ill. In relation to tangihanga, contact with a dead body results in people and objects being highly tapu and this includes the place where the tūpāpaku is placed - marae or private home (urbanised locations). Death vastly escalates the degree of tapu, affecting everything belonging to that person. “The body of the deceased immediately becomes the most sacred taonga (treasured gift)”, further leaving the closest family in tapu and grief. As highly elevated levels of tapu is dangerous, the family collects all the personal belonging of the deceased on and buries it during the time of burial, or they might burn it or give them away to Pākehā, as they believe Pākehā are not affected by tapu. In traditional practices of tangihanga, due to high intensity of tapu, specialist people within a sub-clan would prepare the tūpāpaku. They would smear the body with kōkōwai (red ochre) and oil, then sit it up with knees tucked in under the chin and the arms wrapped tightly around the leg.

Another example, during tangihanga, the urupā is in constant state of increased tapua and holds more tapu than residential house. Tapu exists in everything, however the extension of tapu increases and decreases depending on the action or situation. Tapu is an important concept in tangihanga and is perceived in a powerful form by the Māori people.

Manaaki can be loosely translated as hospitality and plays a key role in the Māori society and manaakitanga refers to the process of showing respect and kindness and hospitality. The most common place where we see this custom being practiced is in the marae across the country. In the Māori community, manaaki can be broken down into three parts: mana-ā-ki and it reminds the hosts to be expressive and fluent in welcoming visitors. Manaaki was an important term to the genealogy line of the Māori, they believe if they did not look after or take care of their resources, they would not have them in the future. It’s their and our responsibility to manaaki everything in the natural world. Manaakitanga allows us to acknowledge the other person's mana, we nurture and encourage their mana by welcoming them and feeding them. In relation to tangihanga, manaaki is expressed during Te karanga (ceremonial call), which is a process performed by the women of the marae, as the ope (group of people) from the manuhiri (visitors) assembles at the gate. The karanga welcomes the body and spirit of the deceased and accompanying manuhiri and also acknowledges that that deceased has gone to join his or her ancestors. This process shows respect and acknowledgement for the manuhiri and the the person who’s deceased, which is a part of manaaki. Another example is during Te whaikōrero (formal speech), this is a speech in which the speaker addresses the deceased directly by using symbolic and poetic language, which is said to help the spirit on its journey to the spirit world. The speech also acknowledges those who have recently died and refers to kinship ties and also addresses the whānau (family) sadness and pain. The visiting speakers respond in a similar way and if they are from a different hapū or iwi, a koha (monetary gift to assist the marae and family with catering and funeral arrangements) is presented. These opportunities allow others to repay the bereaved family for their support in the past, and also helps assist the family of the deceased during spiritual and emotional pain. This process also demonstrates the concept manaaki, as it involves looking out, taking care and showing respect towards the whānau pani (immediate family of the tūpāpaku) and the deceased ancestors. Another example where manaaki is expressed during tangihanga is when the marae community retired to carry out their elected jobs which include: cleaning the beds, lighting the fires, and preparing food to welcome the manuhiri. Some of the young people are also elected jobs, while others sit and listen to the elders speaking in marae; by doing so it ensures the continuity of skilled people to carry out the kawa (Māori protocol and etiquette). The concept manaaki is evident throughout the tangihanga process, the tangata whenua (people of the land) make sure to take care and respect the manuhiri, so the tangata whenua and the manuhiri can become to acknowledge and show respect towards the deceased.

Noa refers to being free, being ordinary, unrestricted or void. Noa is often paired with tapu, as noa restores balance by removing the extension of tapu. A person is said to be nao, when it's removed from the influence of the gods, tapu. Old methods to eliminate the influence of the gods, was to geographically move away from abode of the atua. However, more common and traditional way of removing tapu and becoming noa is the ceremonial act of whakanoa. It involved the use of agents, which were thought to have the capacity to remove the influence of tapu. The agents usually employed included water, female genitalia, food and latrine. During tangihanga, when the visitors walk to the urupā to bury the tūpāpaku, before returning they sprinkle water on their heads or wash their hands. This is believed to remove tapu through the process of whakanoa and it allows the visitors to become noa . Another important part of tangihanga is the hākari (feast), as cleanses and removes the extension of tapu from the whānau pani, as everyone comes together as one and feasts. Usually on the day of the funeral or after, takahi whare (tramping of the house) is carried out. Even though the deceased has been buried, its tapu and its spirit are still present at home. Before thewhānau return home, the tapu must be lifted and the spirit must be encouraged to embark on its journey to the afterworld . Therefore, a tohunga or an elder carries out this ceremony before the arrival of the whānau. It involves karakia, water and the use of special food to make sure the spirit does not return and the house is free from tapu or any other restriction, balance is restored (noa).

To conclude, I believe manaaki, noa and tapu all have a connection with one another and all are evident during the tangihanga process. There are many examples where all these concepts play a role during the stages of a tangihanga. The tangihanga is an important part of the Māori culture, as it’s a time where people come together, reunite and mourn for deceased. I believe the Māori culture is unique in its own way, and contains concepts and restrictions which help build and strengthen relationships and just help the community unite as a whole.