Maori Ethnography

ENVIRONMENT*

The Maori people of  of the northern island New Zealand are a tribal Polynesian group that has resisted much of Western influence and remains sedentary on their islands and traditions. The tropical island environment of these people plays a huge role in the development of their lifestyle, culture, and biology. Rainfall averages pretty high in the mountainous and densely forested triple-canopy, averaging up to 15 meters of rainfall per year. This volcanic island is rich with nutrients and very wet, which fosters many beautiful flowers, plants, animals, and steady horticulture. Seasons on this island vary little and share one thing in common: rain. And when its not raining, its proximity to the equator makes sun exposure very intense and warm. There is little air pollution on this distant and secluded island making UV ray exposure particularly high. Before people settled on this island 900 years ago, there were no mammals and several were introduced by Europeans like deer. There are many flightless birds here, however the lack of game animals has led these people to look mostly to the open water for food and nourishment. The main stresses of living here are the rain and sun exposure. Throughout the heavily-gunned colonization of this island, there were some incredibly detrimental effects to this culture, though current Anglo-New Zealanders are generally more respectful to these indigenous people. Today they co-exist the best they ever have, which has allowed the Maori to keep many of their ancient traditions. In fact, the word "Maori" is a term they coined for themselves as the "Natural Ones" once they encountered white people for the first time some time in the 1600's. According to the 2006 census, 15% of the population in New Zealand is of Maori descent which is about 644,000 people.
Maori people, along with fellow Polynesians generally have darker skin as a result in increase melanin to protect against the sun's harmful rays. These people are also characteristically robust in stature due to a high diet of protein provided by the seafood (particularly seals and whales) and the high carbohydrate diet of potatoes.
Most "True" Maori's live in thatch huts in tiny and secluded villages as their ancestors did, yet many have assimilated into the 21st Century and would be indistinguishable in Western society if not for their dark skin and likely tribal tattoos. These people are very holistic and feel equal with the environment they depend on, so they have not over-exploited their habitat keeping their population levels steady. On an island, resources may often be scarce so naturally tribal conflict is VERY common. Also, their tribal warlike culture also causes heavy training from boyhood including lifting weights and combat training.  This also aided in the long-term biological "larger than average" characteristics of these people. These people usually endure longer than average lifespans because of a non-stressful lifestyle, steady food, and physical training. (1)

LANGUAGE
In Maori, the official language is called Te Reo Maori, of the Polynesian family of languages, as authorized by the Maori Language Commission. Maori words are very short, like one-syllable breaths, or long and complicated words difficult to pronounce to European language speakers. There is in fact a written language which could be dated back to the first Maori book published back in 1815 called E korao no New Zealand (Talk from New Zealand) by Thomas Kendall (2). The alphabet looks very similar to English due to Western colonization, though it has been modified to suit the sound and feel of the language. Also, facial expression is very instrumental in communication. The fact that there was no written Maori until 1815 shows the oral traditions of these people and the influence Europeans had on them. This written language is not to be confused with their "symbolic" language which is mostly represented in tattoos an art, which I will address later in the post.
 
GENDER ROLES
The natural and holistic viewpoint of the Maori culture plays a large role in their gender roles. Because they considered themselves equal in nature, they consider themselves equal in society. Though men are stronger and do the hunting, fishing, and fighting whilst women do the gathering and home-making, neither is valued more than the other. The close-knit tribes of generations of intermarrying families and clans illuminate the value everyone has in society. Male and female are only considered the "yin" and the "yang" (to be cross-culturally analytical) of  the reproduction of life; a compliment to eachother. Gender roles are loosely defined, if at all, because the egalitarian idea is all for one and on for all. The only major definition in gender is the training of young boys into men in the ways of combat and physical fitness to protect their way of life. Similarly, women teach the young girls in the tribe how to cook among other responsibilities while men are out fighting or hunting. (3)

SUBSISTENCE
Food and resources depend mostly on the bounty of the sea and the gathering of flora for shelter. The main source of food is seafood (fish, crustaceans, seals, etc.) however there are many flightless birds that provide protein as well. The island they live on has not been introduced to many large mammals, keeping their dependence for sustenance on the ocean. The steady and similar seasons and rich soil provide steady crops like yams and kumara. Tools and weapons were made from stone and wood. As their contact with Anglos continues, the true and traditional Maoris wane with time. In the same way the Inuits of the Arctic circle use modern rifles to hunt precious seals as they have for generations, these Maoris have shifted from using home-made nets and lines for fishing to modern tools. The infiltration of Western society has left these people no option but to adapt to perpetuate the survival of their ancient, and now different, cultures. With foreign diseases and Western governments, the Maori have certainly had to adapt to sustain. Similarly with adaptation to food provision, it would not be uncommon for Maori families to live in modern style houses. Even though there has been great pressure to adapt, secluded in the corners of New Zealand still have some true Maoris that live as they have for generations: untouched. (4)

ECONOMY

Notice in the picture the blurring of the Maori-European line in New Zealand with a Maori household boasting a picket fence; this house is far from the ancient thatch huts they used to live in

Non-modernized Maoris have no currency and had no set value for goods, however nowadays they may have to pay with legal tender to live on their ancestors land to someone who may have bought it, Euro-style. Currency to these people are practical goods like food and tools. The naturalistic view these people hold does not foster surplus or waste. These people generally store only what they need to survive and trade. There is no "glass ceiling" for these egalitarians, but men definitely bare the brunt of bringing in food, while women make clothes, tools, bowls and other hand-fashioned supplies.


Kinship

Tribal ceremony re-enacting arriving on Aotearoa by canoe

Marriage can best be understood when considering the Maori idea of kinship first.The ancient legend of how the original Maoris landed on Aotearoa (Land of the Long, White Cloud, which is their name for New Zealand),  goes back over 25 generations at this point. They left their larger home islands, like Tahiti and the Philippines on 13 large canoes to seek an uninhabited island that they could dwell in peace. These canoes still identify these peoples relationships centuries later.
Maori society is organized into about about 30 tribes (iwis), which contains 13 canoes (wakas), all of which can be traced back to the canoes their ancestors arrived on. Genealogy, or whakapapa, means "to set layer upon layer" and is traced by identifying a parent, grandparent, canoe, then tribe. (5)
Descent is unilineal in that relation can be traced through a man or a woman. Most Maori's operate in tribes lead by a Chief who is in charge of their genealogy and traditions. The fact that descent can be traced through a man or woman shows the egalitarian ideals that these people represent, though men are usually in charge, they do not see themselves as "better" or "higher", just more naturally well equipped to do the job. Chiefs are the most important people and are related to nearly everyone in the tribe, usually due to many wives and inheriting authority. He is responsible for carrying all the oral and practical traditions of his tribe. There is no right to property by this Chieftain authority. Their egalitarian viewpoint allows the dying person to bequeath his mortal possessions to whom he pleases and owes no tribute to the Chief or anyone else.


Marriage

Newlywed Maori couple blessed by Chief

Like many Polynesian cultures, young people are expected to engage in sexual activity with many partners before finally a marriage is arranged by the senior members of their household or whanau. This arranged marriage is to link other families with newly related kin through marriage and offspring to strengthen the bond within the tribe. Though marrying between canoes and families is common, marrying between tribes is not. This intermarrying would be very limited if first and second cousins were not considered eligible mates. Marriage is typically monogamous, though Chiefs took many wives to proliferate their ancestral authority and wealth through dowry. The naturalistic and egalitarian viewpoint allows married spouses to separate simply upon agreement, though this may complicate the household. Households were usually led by a founding male, his spouses, their unmarried offspring, and also married offspring with their children (imagine how big a house needed to be to hold 3 generations of big people!)
Sexual taboos like incest and homosexuality are not of big concern to these people. Sexuality is very free and it is well understood that incest an homosexuality may be okay for messing around, but the reality is to proliferate ones genealogy, the only way to set the "layers on layers" is with hetero child-rearing.

Social Organization

Maori Waka (canoe)

Maori social stratification follows the Tribe, Canoe, Extended family hierarchy. Each extended-family consists of usually 3 generations and has a head or elder that either founded that family or is the longest living relative of that family. Several of those family elders come together, united under one canoe. Thirteen inter-related canoes constitute a tribe of which has a Chief, or head-unit of authority. Authority is inherited and traditional in this culture. There is no police force or legislation division. If the Chief declares a punishment or civil action, for the sake of tradition it is carried out by no specific member of the tribe, if not many. Though this may seem patriarchal, imagine the King and Queen of England: though the King is the most sovereign of the land, the Queen still yields authority. This is true of the Maoris as the authority trickles down the hierarchy to the basic family unit of mother and father. However this is only true still in the "True" and untouched Maoris. Due to Westernization and Western forms of governing people in a land, Maoris have had to send delegates to parliament and other official Western governing bodies to maintain a "fair" representation for their people whose hierarchy holds no weight in the New Zealand court of law. This is another example of cultural adaptation to maintain the traditions that define these people. (6)

Political Structure

Maori Chief

Each Maori family nucleus (father, mother, and offspring) are all part of a family. The parents are sovereign over their children. The extended family that nucleus belongs to is governed by few elders who are sovereign over that branch of extended family. Those elders have one leader of their canoe that is passed through heritage, not election. The leaders of the thirteen canoes of a tribe are overseen by a Chief, which is also determined by bloodline. Each tribe consists of 13 canoes. There are about 30 original tribes of Maori who are considered equal. Alliances and feuds have been very common to these steadfast and aggressive people who will fight to the death for the perpetuation of their tribe, canoe, and family. Living on an island with many other groups of people that are not entirely related to them has created a lot of warring between tribes through the generations.





VIOLENCE
In my opinion, the cultural attitudes of violence among these people is the most fascinating element of the Maori. Though they believe in overall peace, equality, and unity in nature, on an island with 30 other tribes, conflict is inevitable. Though wars cost the lives of loved-ones and destroy villages, it is considered a necessary evil and a scale of which a man measures himself by: his ability to fight. Maori boys are trained from youth to be fearless in combat and equally skilled. The most recognizable manifestation of this value of violence is the world-known Haka dance. It is a pre-battle dance that involves the unison of the fighting tribe slapping and beating their chests while chanting in unison and making faces at the enemy to scare them and warn them of their unity and bravery in battle. This haka also has psychological effects on those that practice it by bringing them up to a war-like trance, preparing themselves to charge into their own deaths. This chant is replicated in many Maori ceremonies and often times by professional sports teams like the New Zealand Rugby All-Blacks, who chant their national Haka before each match.

RELIGION

This scary face carving is to ward of bad spirits

The holistic and natural viewpoint that supersedes all other elements of Maori culture is their religion. The same spirit and life-force or mana that is in all humans is derived from nature. They consider themselves part of the natural world as much as the trees and ocean that surrounds them. There is no name for their reliogion other than "Traditional Maori." As much as descendents from their original canoes to New Zealand, descendent plays as large a role in their religion. Each different element of nature has a different title for its manifestation. For example, Tane is the personification of the forest that bore human young, of which the original humans are related to. Maori believe that through their descent from the original Polynesian islands that they themselves are descendents of the different personifications of nature. Similar to the idea of Gaia, these people believe in a life spirit in nature that dwells in all Maori an does not leave the body to return to nature until the body is buried. One unique ritual is their belief that lizards are tool of the evil spirit in nature, and that lizards appear to bring bad luck and eat the life force of those it contacts. Many Maori houses are built over dead remains of lizards to ward off bad luck. The function of this religion is instrumental in all facets of Maori life. The understanding that everyone and thing is an equal part of nature reinforces their egalitarian marriages, politics, art, social structure, and economics. (7)

ART
1. Artwork

Different layers represent each generation

Visual art is most commonly expressed by the Maori in the form of tattooing; particularly the face and shoulder. Most men, and nearly all warriors have most of their faces tattooed with traditional lines, triangles, and waves. Tattoos represent lineage in the Maori culture. For example, a man will get a tattoo of certain lines, triangles, and waves that represents his father, grandfather, and himself. Once he has a son, he will add on to the tattoo to represent his son. His son will get the same tattoo in the same order until he has a son. Like the Maori word for genealogy, this whakapapa literally represents layers building on layers of descendents to the original canoes, and moreover, the spirits of Earth. The manner in which they tattoo also reflects what the tattoos look like. They don't use a modern tattoo gun, they use a series of inked needles in a line and smash them into the skin. Lines, triangles, an some waves are a result of the primitive limitations of tattooing.
2. Music
Music is traditionally sung in the Maori culture however there are some woodwind and percussion instruments. The chants in the native tongue accompanied by drums or flutes are usually to glorify legends of descendence, origin, or victory in battle. Today their music is generally performed as a cultural exhibition to expose their ancient lifestyle to the otherwise ignorant.
3. Performance
Their songs and dances are usually for celebration, like a marriage, or the haka, for battle. Some theatrics are woven into spoken an sung orations of history, usually all celebratory. They don't have pure "dramas" that are for entertainment value only.
4. Religious Art
Considering the focus on heritage and nature, all buildings represent a founding family member, posts are carved with scary faces to war away spirits, tattoos also serve similar purposes to enemies. These people are their own artwork and representation of their naturalistic religion.

CONCLUSION
Though the Maori have endured long since their first European contact centuries ago, their traditions, cultures, and folkways have waned unceasingly ever since. These people have been forced to adapt if they want to live in their villages traditionally, or assimilate and give into the Western lifestyle of commodity that has been pressed on them. Much like the Native Americans of the U.S. on reservations or in the general population, the Maori have adopted a Neo-Traditionalism that allows them to cope with the Western pressure while maintaining their rich heritage. Though they'll never be the same, they're doing their best to still be primitive yet hold representation in local and national legislation. They are protected to a certain degree by their "occupiers" yet still oppressed. The resilience in their blood that has been proudly passed down proudly for generations indicates to me that these people will never go away, but may wane to endangerment. Whether is people Western land-rights, or commercial over-fishing, this primitive way of life is out-gunned and out-numbered. The role the Maori play in the modern world is perpetuated by the few who bear Maori blood. Their proud face tattoos, robust form, and commitment to bravery are examples to the modern world who bind down around them that a proud people once stood and will stand on Aotearoa so long as a single Maori heart is left to beat.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 * http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/weather-and-climate.html#weathermap
(1)http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-BesMaor-c1.html
(2)http://www.omniglot.com/writing/maori.htm
(3)http://www.mwa.govt.nz/women-in-nz/maoriwomen/role-of-women
(4)http://www.everyculture.com/Oceania/Maori-Economy.html
(5)Haviland, Prins, McBride, and Dana Walrath. Cultural Anthropology The Human Challenge (p. 218-19)
(6)http://www.maori.info/maori_society.htm
(7)http://history-nz.org/maori6.html