Maori Approaches to Death
Māui’s Quest for Immortality
Māui, a legendary figure in Māori and Polynesian mythology, embarked on a daring quest to secure immortality for humanity. However, this endeavour ultimately ended in failure, highlighting themes of human mortality and the limits of power.
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The Plan: Māui believed he could conquer death by entering the body of Hine-nui-te-pō, the goddess of death, while she was asleep. He planned to pass through her body and exit through her mouth, thereby reversing death for all mankind.
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Execution: Māui transformed into a small worm-like creature and began his journey into Hine-nui-te-pō. However, the birds accompanying him—specifically the fantail (pīwakawaka)—burst into laughter, waking the goddess.
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Consequence: Upon waking, Hine-nui-te-pō crushed Māui with her body, ending his quest and ensuring that death would remain an inevitable part of human life.
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Moral Lesson: Māui's quest is interpreted as a tale of bravery, hubris, and the acceptance of mortality. It serves as a reminder of the natural balance between life and death.
This is one version, there are others
Footnote: The story of Māui and Hine-nui-te-pō is a cornerstone of Polynesian mythology, appearing in variations across Māori, Hawaiian, and other Polynesian traditions (Orbell, 1995). The role of the fantail as both a helper and a trickster is also symbolic of nature’s unpredictability.
Significance of Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua)
Cape Reinga, located at the northernmost tip of New Zealand, holds immense spiritual importance in Māori culture. It is considered the point where the spirits of the deceased embark on their journey to the afterlife, known as Te Rerenga Wairua, or "the leaping place of the spirits."
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Journey of the Wairua (Spirit): According to Māori belief, when someone passes away, their wairua (spirit) travels up the west coast of New Zealand to Cape Reinga. There, it descends to the pōhutukawa tree clinging to the cliffside and leaps into the ocean to travel to the ancestral homeland, Hawaiki.
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Spiritual Threshold: Cape Reinga symbolizes the transition between the physical world and the spiritual realm. The pōhutukawa tree, which is said to be over 800 years old, is central to this belief, as it provides the gateway for spirits to begin their journey.
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Cultural Significance: The surrounding area, including Te Ara Wairua (the pathway of spirits), is sacred and deeply respected. Visitors are often reminded to tread with reverence.
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Natural Elements: At Cape Reinga, the meeting of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean symbolizes a blending of spiritual forces, further underscoring its importance as a place of endings and beginnings.
Footnote: The sacred nature of Cape Reinga is well-documented in oral traditions and Māori cosmology. The pōhutukawa tree as the leaping point is described in tribal narratives passed down through generations (Mead, 2003).
The Māori approach to death, or mate, is deeply rooted in their cultural values, spiritual beliefs, and connection to their ancestors and the land. Central to their practices is tangihanga or tangi, a traditional mourning ceremony that allows people to express grief, pay respects, and support the deceased's family. Tangihanga is a powerful cultural ritual, usually lasting three days, though it may extend depending on circumstances.
Key Aspects of Māori Death Customs:
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Spiritual Significance and Connection to Ancestry
Māori believe in the concept of wairua, the spirit or soul, which lives on after death and journeys back to Hawaiki, the ancestral homeland. There is a sense that death is not an end but a transition to an ancestral realm, where the spirit will be reunited with loved ones who have passed.
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Tangihanga (Mourning Ceremony)
The tangi is traditionally held on a marae, the community meeting place, where the body lies in state. Family, friends, and the community gather here to express love and grief, share memories, and participate in song, prayer, and speeches (whakaaro). During this time, the deceased's life is celebrated, and mourners have a chance to say their goodbyes.
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Gathering of Family and Community
Whānau (family) and extended relatives play a central role in Māori death customs. All members are expected to be present and contribute. Support from the community is vital, and it’s common for people to travel long distances to attend a tangi and show respect.
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Rituals of Care and Connection
It is customary for the body to be kept in an open coffin, allowing loved ones to interact closely, touch, and embrace the deceased.
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Emphasis on Whakawhanaungatanga (Relationships)
Relationships between people and with the deceased’s spirit are honoured during the tangi. This period is one of healing and connection for both the living and the spirit of the departed, reinforcing communal bonds and cultural identity.
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The Journey to Final Resting Place
Once the tangi is over, the body is taken to a burial ground, often in a place significant to the family or tribe. After burial, the family observes a cleansing ceremony to lift the tapu from themselves, allowing them to return to everyday life.
The Māori perspective on death emphasizes honouring the dead while supporting the living through communal grieving, connection, and continuity of the spirit. Tangihanga traditions are resilient, deeply cherished, and continue to adapt as part of Māori identity
Footnotes:"" Te Ara – The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. This is a highly respected resource detailing Māori traditions and customs, including the cultural practices surrounding death and mourning.
Moko Mead’s Tikanga Māori: Living by Māori Values provides an in-depth discussion of cultural protocols, including tangihanga.
Wairua and Spirituality in Māori culture, often highlighted in works by Māori scholars like Mason Durie, Whaiora: Māori Health Development.
Māori In Aotearoa New Zealand: Understanding the culture, protocols and customs, Buddy Mikaere 2013
Aroha Harris’s work in Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History by Atholl Anderson et al., which delves into tapu, noa, and their cultural application
Importance of Water
In Māori culture, water holds profound significance, particularly at cemeteries (urupā) where it serves as a powerful spiritual and cleansing element. After visiting a cemetery, Māori often wash their hands or sprinkle water on themselves. This ritual of water cleansing is known as whakanoa, which helps lift the tapu (sacred restriction) that surrounds the cemetery and the deceased. Here’s a closer look at why water is so essential in this context:
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Spiritual Cleansing and Lifting of Tapu
Cemeteries are considered places of high tapu, and visitors become noa (freed from sacredness) by cleansing with water afterward. The act of sprinkling water or washing hands as one leaves the urupā symbolically removes any spiritual heaviness, ensuring that they return to everyday life in a spiritually balanced state.
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Connection to Life and Ancestry
Water symbolizes life and is seen as an essential link to ancestors. In this way, water at the cemetery not only purifies but also strengthens the connection with loved ones who have passed. Through the cleansing act, people honour the memory of their ancestors while also acknowledging life’s continuity.
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Purification of Mind and Spirit
Water is believed to cleanse negative energies or lingering sadness associated with the visit. This purification helps to balance grief with peace, allowing people to remember their loved ones in a positive, grounded way.
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Maintenance of Health and Well-being
Māori customs hold that failing to perform the water-cleansing ritual after a cemetery visit can lead to spiritual or physical illness. By engaging in this practice, people are better protected from harm and maintain their spiritual well-being.
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Respect for the Sacredness of the Place
The use of water to cleanse respects the sacredness of the cemetery as a resting place for ancestors. It also maintains the tapu of the site, recognizing its spiritual importance and the cultural belief that cemeteries are potent spiritual spaces.
Footnotes: "Tapu and Noa," Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, explains the ritual use of water in Māori culture as a tool for lifting tapu and ensuring spiritual balance.
Mason Durie’s Nga Kahui Pou: Launching Māori Futures discusses the integration of spiritual health in daily practices, including rituals like those involving water.
"Water in Māori Culture" by Ani Mikaere, often published in journals or anthologies on indigenous spiritual practices, underscores the symbolic role of water in Māori life.
This information was provided by ChatGPT, a large language model by OpenAI. Thanks to Laurie Chisholm and Eru Tahuri for their constructive comments and questions. Mary Ellen Warren