Whakapapa: a Key Concept in Maori World View

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The culture of the Maori people is among the most rich and diverse of its kind. It gives members a sense of belonging and purpose, and plays a hugely significant role in establishing the Maori values and worldviews. While the components that comprise the Maori way of thinking are many and varied, there are several key aspects which encapsulate the general idea effectively. Most notably is the idea of Whakapapa, and to a lesser extent the concept of Mana. Imagery and symbolism also play a vital role in Maori culture, a significant image being Te Porere, Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki’s flag that he used during the fighting that would later come to be known as Te Kooti’s Wars. These aspects of Maori history and culture give us an effective insight into the factors that shape the Maori worldview, both today and in the past. Whakapapa is defined as the “genealogical decent of all living things from the gods to present time.” Whakapapa is the layers that make up the past heritage and genealogy of any given thing, be it people, birds, trees, what have you; they all have a Whakapapa of sorts. Whakapapa is so important because it is the collation of everything that something is. In the case of humans, it is the amalgamation of all the generations’ knowledge, experiences and customs. As Barlow quite aptly summarizes, Whakapapa is “a basis for the organization of knowledge in respect of the creation and development of all things” , meaning that Whakapapa is a concept which deals with the passing on of knowledge as well as continuing and respecting the Maori creation narrative. Whakapapa is significant for Maoris for obvious reasons, as they place high value on community and shared knowledge and resources. Mana is the standing, power or respect afforded to an individual, group of people or piece of land. mana is a very widespread concept and can be applied to many aspect of

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