Traditional Māori Culture and Customs

A DigitalNZ Story by National Library of New Zealand Topics

The Māori world is rich in tikanga. Find out about the types of weaving, whakapapa, and whakairo, patterns (kowhaiwhai), moko, cooking a hāngī, waiata, dances (peruperu), legends and the protocol for visitors to follow on a marae. SCIS no. 1809077

social_sciences, arts, Māori, english, history

Image: War dance, 1844

War dance, 1844

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Peruperu

Peruperu

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Robley, Horatio Gordon 1840-1930 :Erena. [1864?]

Erena 

Robley, Horatio Gordon 1840-1930 :Erena. [1864?]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: New Zealand Maori

New Zealand Māori woman

New Zealand Maori

Auckland Libraries

Image: Weaving

Weaving

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Diggeress Te Kanawa

Diggeress Te Kanawa

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Maori woman weaving taniko

Māori woman weaving taniko

Maori woman weaving taniko

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Maori women weaving flax

Māori women weaving flax

Maori women weaving flax

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: New Zealand Maoris plaiting flax baskets

Plaiting kete

New Zealand Maoris plaiting flax baskets

Auckland Libraries

Image: Korowai (cloak)

Korowai (cloak)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Child feeding a tohunga, around 1863

Child feeding a tohunga

Child feeding a tohunga, around 1863

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Waka

Waka

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Korowai (cloak)

Korowai (cloak)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Waka prow

Waka prow

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Waka taua, 1769

Waka taua, 1769

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Waka huia

Waka huia

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Elements of carving

Elements of Māori carving

Elements of carving

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Maori Carving in Shadows

Māori carving in shadows

Maori Carving in Shadows

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Uncovering a hāngī

A hāngī

Uncovering a hāngī

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Meal time in a Māori village

Meal time in a Māori village

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Māori village with potato crops

Māori village with potato crops

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Māori gardens

Māori gardens

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Burton, Alfred Henry, 1834?-1914: Maori village at Te Kumi

Māori village at Te Kumi

Burton, Alfred Henry, 1834?-1914: Maori village at Te Kumi

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Village of Parkuni, River Hokianga

Parkuni,

Village of Parkuni, River Hokianga

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Slaves Preparing Food

Slaves Preparing Food

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Wharepuni, Northland

Wharepuni

Wharepuni, Northland

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Mahina-a-Rangi meeting house, Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia

Mahina-a-Rangi meeting house

Mahina-a-Rangi meeting house, Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Taniwha stamp

Taniwha stamp

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kapa haka

Kapa haka

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kapa haka festival

Kapa haka festival

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Moko kauae

Moko kauae

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Te Rauparaha's moko

Te Rauparaha's moko

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kete Aronui - Richard Nunns

Richard Nunns

Kete Aronui - Richard Nunns

NZ On Screen

Image: Haka pōwhiri, 1946

Haka pōwhiri

Haka pōwhiri, 1946

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: The Beginner's Guide to Visiting the Marae

The Beginner's guide to visiting the Marae

The Beginner's Guide to Visiting the Marae

NZ On Screen

Carving of Paikea, Whāngārā

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Matariki Waiata (Song)

Matariki waiata

Matariki Waiata (Song)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Māori values and practices - A frontier of chaos?

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Building a Pa

Services to Schools

Rongoā Māori

Services to Schools

How to cook a hangi

Services to Schools

Māori culture

Services to Schools

Māori stick and poi.

Services to Schools

Taua NZ

Services to Schools

Man and sea

Services to Schools

Haka

Services to Schools

Tikanga

Services to Schools

Image: Haka

Haka

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Te Kanapu Haerehuka

Te Kanapu Haerehuka

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: (Rakara?) Chadwick, wearing a korowai, weaving a small flax basket

Māori woman weaving

(Rakara?) Chadwick, wearing a korowai, weaving a small flax basket

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Tāniko weaving

Tāniko weaving

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Members of the Maori Battalion performing a haka, Maadi, Egypt

Māori Battalion performing a Haka

Members of the Maori Battalion performing a haka, Maadi, Egypt

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Strutt, William 1825-1915 :The Maori war dance [1855 or 1856]

Haka Ref: E-453-f-001

Strutt, William 1825-1915 :The Maori war dance [1855 or 1856]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Members of Ngati Tuwharetoa performing the peruperu

Ngāti Tuwharetoa performing the peruperu

Members of Ngati Tuwharetoa performing the peruperu

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Apirana Turupa Ngata leading a haka at the 1940 centennial celebrations, Waitangi

Āpirana Turupa Ngata leading a haka

Apirana Turupa Ngata leading a haka at the 1940 centennial celebrations, Waitangi

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: [Merrett, Joseph Jenner] 1815-1854 :[Four Maori girls and one young Maori man. ca. 1846]

Four Māori girls and one young Māori man

[Merrett, Joseph Jenner] 1815-1854 :[Four Maori girls and one young Maori man. ca. 1846]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Maori artifacts in the Auckland Museum

Māori artifacts in the Auckland Museum

Maori artifacts in the Auckland Museum

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Men of Ngati Tuwharetoa performing a haka at Tokaanu

Ngāti Tūwharetoa haka

Men of Ngati Tuwharetoa performing a haka at Tokaanu

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Photographs of Tuhoe protesters, Wellington

Tuhoe haka

Photographs of Tuhoe protesters, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Tātai arorangi

Services to Schools

Maramataka

Services to Schools

The great fish of Maui

Services to Schools

Tangata whenua

Services to Schools

Image: Māori culture & customs

Māori culture & customs

National Library of New Zealand