Top Things to Know About Māori Culture in New Zealand

Most universities in Aotearoa New Zealand also encourage international students to take general interest courses about Māori culture as part of their studies.

Learning about Māori culture will help you engage with and explore the community around you and broaden your understanding of other cultures, languages and values.

Discover the top things to know about Māori culture and learn more about the life experiences you’ll remember forever, when you choose to study with New Zealand.

A Deep Connection to Aotearoa Māori culture is an essential part of New Zealand’s identity, offering a strong connection to the land, traditions, and history. Māori have a deep respect for nature, which influences many aspects of life, from storytelling to art and daily customs. To truly appreciate New Zealand, it’s important to understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi)—the foundational agreement between Māori and the British Crown, which continues to shape the country today.

Who are Māori? Māori are the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. They belong to iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes), with many individuals connected to multiple iwi. Before British settlers arrived, Māori lived communally in tribal villages. While communal living is no longer common, Māori still embrace whānau (family) and community values, which play a major role in how they interact and support one another. Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand, it is a treaty between many Māori rangatira (chiefs) and the British Crown. Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840 and was meant to establish governance and protect Māori rights over their lands and resources. However, differences in translation between the English and Māori versions led to ongoing discussions and challenges.

If you are interested in reading about Te Tiriti in your own language, there is a free online resource you can use that may include your own language, you can check it out here: Te Tititi in our Language.

You can also see the official Te Tiriti document displayed at the He Tohu exhibition in Wellington.

Learning Te Reo Māori Learning te reo Māori enables a unique experience while studying in New Zealand. Whare Wānanga and most universities and schools offer beginner to advanced te reo Māori classes/courses, however, there are also other avenues in which you can learn the language. This can be through online courses, podcasts, or simply through social media platforms where people post daily phases, proverbs, idioms, and more. A couple pages to check out are @reomaori, @everydaymaori.

Another option to be exposed to te reo Māori is to watch Māori Television. There are usually videos you can access on demand such as Ako where you can learn te reo Māori, as well as shows that are in English with little hints of te reo.

Explore Te Ao Māori

Other things you may wish to experience is visiting historical sites, and seeing how Māori use to live, and still live to this day. Some historical sites include:

Kapa Haka – Māori Performing Arts.

Kapa haka is the primary art form through which Māori can access and express their cultural identity in te reo Māori, sharing their unique narratives through the beauty and power of waiata and dance.

A full kapa haka bracket would consist of seven performed items, a waiata tira (choral song), whakaeke (entrance), mōteatea (traditional chant), waiata-a-ringa (action song), poi (choreographed ball dance), haka (war dance), whakawātea (exit).

Every two years kapa haka groups, whānau, and fans worldwide look forward to Te Matatini as the pinnacle event to showcase the best of the best.

Te Matatini is the biggest kapa haka festival in the Māori calendar, held over four days it is one of the most highly anticipated events for performers, their whānau, and the mass of passionate kapa haka fans throughout the world.

The programme has different kapa haka teams performing on each day, with finalists from each day competing for the winner's crown on the final day.

More information about Te Matatini can be found here: Matatū, Mataora, Matatini ki te ao - Te Matatini.

Whakairo

If you walk around New Zealand, you may notice some aspects of Māori art throughout our cities. One of the main art forms you may see is whakairo (carvings). The art of whakairo has been around for hundreds of years, majority of this art is seen on and in wharenui (meeting house) of marae but can be seen in other forms such as pou (posts) within cities. Whakairo is a way Māori express cultural identify, they are rich in symbolism and use common patterns, though styles differ between iwi (tribes). Traditional patterns used in carving were often inspired by the natural environment, including pūngāwerewere (spider webs), unahi (fish scales) and koru (unfurling fronds of the fern).

Tāmoko

When in New Zealand you may notice people with Tāmoko (Māori tattoo). Tāmoko is worn on the face and body but the protocols for facial tattoos differ according to gender. Men receive mataora otherwise known as moko kanohi on the entire face or just the lower half of the face, whereas women wear moko kauae on the chin and sometimes both the chin and lips. Every tāmoko is to the person wearing it. Most tāmoko captures a person whakapapa (genealogy), it can also tell a story about an achievement and can hold aspects of their local history.

Hongi

The hongi starts with the god Tāne Mahuta who moulded the shape of the first woman, Hine-ahu-one, from earth and breathed life into her by pressing his nose against hers. This is why the hongi (pressing of noses) is referred to the breath of life, and when two people hongi they are sharing each other’s breath of life, this shows a symbolic unity between two people.

When in New Zealand, you may notice Māori giving each other a hongi, this is done both formally and informally. Hongi is most commonly used and seen during pōhiri (formal Māori welcome) when manuhiri (guests) and mana whenua (local people) greet each other. Outside of the pōhiri process, the hongi is more informal and used when two people (mostly Māori) greet each other.

Creation Story

The creation story of te ao Māori begins with Te Kore (The nothingness). Out of Te Kore came Te Po (The darkness).

Tāne Mahuta, God of the Forest, is an important figure in Māori history. The oldest of six siblings, Tāne Mahuta, grew tired of living in darkness, closed in between his father Ranginui (Sky Father) and his mother Papa-tū-ā-nuku (Earth Mother). He decided to push them apart and, in doing so, created Te Ao Mārama (the world of light) that we live in today.

Māui

Throughout Polynesia, we all tell the story of Māui. Māui was was quick, intelligent, bold, resourceful, cunning and fearless, epitomising the basic personality, structure idealised by Māori society. His full name was Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, and one of his most famous feats was the creation of the islands we know today as Aotearoa, New Zealand. When his brothers planned to exclude him from their fishing trip, Māui hid in the front of their canoe, revealing himself once they were far out to sea. On that fishing trip, Māui caught his biggest fish ever – Te Ika a Māui (Māui’s fish) which is referred to now as the North Island of New Zealand. The South Island of New Zealand is referred to as Te Waka o Māui (The Canoe of Māui), or Te Waipounamu (Greenstone waters) which is famous for the precious pounamu or New Zealand Jade also known as greenstone.

Manaakitanga

Māori have many values and beliefs, some of these include kaitiakitanga, whanaungatanga, Kotahitanga etc. But one of the main values people tend to take note of is manaakitanga.

The word ‘manaakitanga’ comes from New Zealand’s indigenous Māori language, and is a noun used to describe qualities and principles derived from the verb, or practice, of ‘manaaki’.

Manaaki is about extending respect, hospitality, generosity, warmth, and care to others, in a way that both honours them and enhances your own reputation. To understand this concept, it is helpful to break the word manaaki down even further.

‘Mana-āki’ describes a way of urging, inducing, causing, or extending mana.

‘Mana-a-kī’ can describe how mana is spoken about. ‘Kī’ is to utter or speak.

When we extend manaaki to others we are recognising and elevating their mana, whilst also elevating our own, by doing so in a way that means they in turn will speak highly of us. In this way, the practice of manaaki has a sense of reciprocity.

Karakia – Sacred Māori Prayers

Karakia are Māori prayers or chants seeking spiritual guidance and protection. They are used in important moments such as tangihanga (funerals), hui (gatherings), unveilings, and everyday life—welcoming the day, ensuring a safe journey, healing illness, blessing tā moko (tattoos), and carving wharenui (meeting houses) or waka (canoes).

One of the most common is karakia mō te kai, a blessing before meals. It gives thanks for the food, those who prepared it, and its nourishment. Some karakia acknowledge Māori gods/guardians and nature, while others reflect Christian influences, thanking Ihu Karaiti (Jesus Christ) and Ihowa (Jehovah).

Traditionally, karakia were chanted or sung, calling upon Atua (gods/guardians) for strength. With Christianity’s arrival in the 19th century, new prayers emerged, but there is now a revival of traditional karakia, valued for their poetic beauty and deep meaning.

Māori language carries rich metaphorical depth, making direct English translations difficult. The power of karakia often lies beyond words, resonating on a spiritual level.

Karakia mō te kai

If you are ever in a Māori environment when in New Zealand, you may notice that people say a karakia mō te kai, which is simply the blessing of food. Like most cultures is a prayer said before eating to give thanks to those who prepared the food, and for the nourishment the food gives us. Some karakia can be more traditional, giving thanks to the environment and Māori gods, while others derive from colonial settler practices, giving thanks to Ihu Karaiti (Jesus Christ) and Ihowa (Jehovah).

Māori culture is deeply woven into the fabric of Aotearoa, influencing everything from language and traditions to storytelling and art. Whether you're learning Te Reo Māori, visiting cultural sites, or experiencing kapa haka, embracing Māori culture will enrich your time in New Zealand and deepen your connection to this beautiful land.

Nau mai, haere mai – Welcome to Aotearoa!