Maori Legend
Creation Story
The Maori believe that all comes from the gods. Man, earth, nature and objects made by man can contain Mana, a spiritual power. For this reason the Maori maintain a strong spiritual bond with the earth and with some special places which have a deep cultural and spiritual meaning for them.
Ceremonial objects with Mana must be protected with extremely strict rules of Tapu (tabboo). Contact by ordinary people with persons or objects with Mana could cause a loss of the power. The Moko, or lizards, have a special significance for the Maori. These reptiles are considered to be emissaries of the god Whiro, who represents all the evil in the world and who brings misfortune to unlucky tribes. If a god gets angry and wishes to kill a man, he will call upon the lizards to enter into the man’s body and consume his vital organs. In other cases, the power of the lizard can be transformed into protection. Legends tell that a school, a Whare Wananga, would someimes bury a lizard near the main supporting pillar for protection.
Featured Reports:
Te Mana o Te Vahine me Te Tane
Te Mana o Te Vahine me Te TaneThere is a feminine form, just as there is a masculine form. The first serves to nurture and to give birth; the other to plant and to guard. With both of them, the tribe and the families of all nations survive, in each branch of the...
Each newborn receives his Mauri, Varua, Ha y Hau
Each newborn receives his Mauri, Varua, Ha y HauWhen Te Uru Tai flows from the womb of a fertile woman and joins Te Wai Tai, the seed of a man, a child begins to grow and form his Mauri, his physical appearance – the shape of his head, nose, eyes and body, his size,...
Caress and Cultivate the Child of Peace
Caress and Cultivate the Child of PeaceNo one knows if Today will be followed by Tomorrow. No one is sure if the Seed that we sow will prosper. No one is certain that Life will continue. Everything is a Gift. We are all creatures of Tane Mahuta, the god of the...