Part 6. Maori (New Zealand).

The long and mysterious origins of the indigenous Maori people can be traced back to the 13th century. It features the mythical land of Hawaiki, located in Eastern Polynesia. Thanks to centuries of isolation, the Maori have created an independent society with a peculiar art, their own language and unique mythology.

"My tongue is my awakening, my tongue is the window of my soul."

The defining aspects of traditional Maori culture are painting, dancing, legends, tattoos and communication. Although the arrival of European colonists in the 18th century had a profound impact on the Maori lifestyle, many aspects of traditional society have survived to this day.

Haruru Falls, North Island

As adepts of polytheism, the Maori worship various gods, goddesses and spirits. The Maori believe that ancestors and supernatural beings are omnipresent and able to help the tribe in times of need. Myths are rooted in the distant past. They tell about the origin of the universe, gods and people.

Natural phenomena, the weather, the stars and the moon, fish in the sea, birds in the forest and the forests themselves are permeated with mythology. Maori's understanding of the development of the universe is expressed in genealogical form.

Ta moko

Defining aspects of traditional Maori culture include art, legends, tattoos (Ta Moko), stage performances (called Kapa Haka), customs, hospitality and communication.

Tattoo has always been an important part of Maori culture. Getting a tattoo is an important step in the maturing process, which is why there are many rituals and rituals associated with this event. Each member of the Maori tribe has a specific role and place in the social order.

Robert Davis

Traveling incessantly, the Maori have proven themselves to be brave and resourceful adventurers and some of the greatest navigators of all time. Thanks to centuries of isolation from the rest of the world, the Maori have created a unique society with a distinctive art, original language and peculiar mythology.

Huka Falls

While the arrival of Europeans had a profound impact on the Maori lifestyle, many aspects of traditional society have survived into the 21st century.

The Maori are fully involved in all spheres of New Zealand's cultural and social life, leading a largely Western lifestyle, while at the same time not losing touch with their centuries-old traditions.

Traditional family ties are actively maintained. In particular, the so-called “extended family” (Whanau) remains an integral part of Maori life. Although many Maori migrated to larger villages and cities, they continue to live almost exclusively in remote rural areas.

Taupo village

Kai - this is how food is called in the Maori language. The Maori diet is based on poultry and fish and is complemented by wild herbs and roots. The Maori tribal gardens also grow root vegetables and vegetables, including yams, pumpkin, and kumara (sweet potatoes).

Maori usually cook food in underground ovens called hangi. To this day, this traditional method is used on special occasions, allowing the creation of holiday delicacies made from traditional ingredients.

Dr. Pita Sharples

Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. Their history is long and mysterious. Based on oral history, archaeological finds and genetic analysis, we can date the Maori appearance in New Zealand to the thirteenth century AD.

The origins of the Maori can be confidently traced back to the islands of Eastern Polynesia. Their resettlement to New Zealand from the mythical land of Hawaica took place in the course of several epic voyages on waka boats (a type of canoe) over a fairly long period. Legend has it that twelve large canoes were transported by 12 tribes (iwi) that made up the Maori people. Even today, most Maori people remember exactly which original tribe they are descended from.

Testament of Taniwha

By the end of the 19th century, the effects of early colonization, wars and epidemics had reduced the Maori population to 40,000. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Maori population began to recover. Maori culture has been revived.
Currently, about 650,000 Maori live in New Zealand.

Simple

The early Maori were very peaceful in comparison with later generations, whose belligerence developed in the process of clashes between tribes.

The early settlers did not call themselves Maori until the arrival of European colonists in the 18th century. They needed a name of their own to distinguish themselves from the newcomers - and they called themselves Maori (“simple”). In their religion, the gods are divided into simple ("Maori") and powerful.

Taupo Village, North Island

Maori society is especially noticeable in the marae. In the past, the marae was a central meeting place in traditional villages. Events such as weddings, funerals and large gatherings were often held there, with mandatory protocol and etiquette. Such events are a great holiday, where you can show off colorful national clothes, jewelry, intricate tattoos, dances and chants - in other words, show the Maori traditions in all their glory.

Haka's War

The Haka war dance, designed to intimidate the enemy, is one of the most famous Maori cultural traditions. This dance is accompanied by song and body percussion: clapping hands, stamping feet and hitting the hips. The dance itself includes expressive postures that symbolize belligerence and aggression.

Maori chanting follows very strict rules. To interrupt the penalty in mid-sentence is to bring disaster or even death to the community. These chants often narrate about
family legends or the exploits of ancestors.

Connie Adam

The place of an individual in society was often indicated by their attire and tattoos. People of high social status have always covered themselves with tattoos, while tribesmen who do not have tattoos were considered worthless people.

August 27, 2017 10:59 a.m. Rotorua - New Zealand January 2009

Yesterday, after finishing our journey around the South Island, we crossed the Cook Strait by ferry and in the remaining few evening hours got to know the New Zealand capital, taking a stroll through its old streets in Down Town, the embankment and the Botanical Gardens.

Early in the morning we get on the bus and leave Wellington, which seemed patriarchal and calm to us. We have a new driver and guide named Colin. Our next overnight stay will be in the city of Rotorua, which is considered the unofficial capital of the indigenous population of New Zealand - the Maori and the way to it is not close - almost 450 kilometers.

The road from Wellington goes north along a beautiful highway. We pass numerous villages, vineyards and sheep farms. It is drizzling with rain. In a few hours we will drive up to the largest lake on the North Island - Taupo. Behind the rain curtain and fog, behind - in the Tongarero National Park - the famous volcanoes Ruapehu (2797 m) and Ngauruhoe (2291 m) remained unseen.

Almost all the names of rivers and mountains here are in the Maori language. Ruapehu in Maori means "thundering abyss". And the Ngauruhoe volcano is notable for the fact that it was used as Mount Orodruin during the filming of the film "The Lord of the Rings" based on the novel by R. Tolkien. It's a pity. Maybe you will be able to see it some other time, and even go downhill skiing from the snow-covered slopes of Ruapehu in winter - from June to September.

It sounds awesome to go skiing in the tropics, but it is. Ruapehu has several first-class ski resorts. And the largest of them is Fakapapa, located on the western slope of the volcano. With a height difference of 675 m, more than 20 lifts operate here, serving about 40 slopes of varying degrees of difficulty. And there are also the resorts of Turoa and Tukino, which are located respectively on the southern and eastern sides of this volcano.

Lake Taupo and the first encounter with the Maori

And finally, the water surface of Lake Taupo appeared. It is the largest lake not only in New Zealand, but in the entire South Pacific region, including Australia. Its greatest depth is about 200 meters.

The rain has stopped and Colin pulls into a well-equipped lakeside parking lot with toilet, shower and kitchen with barbecue. Everything is in perfect condition.

Here, at the parking lot, we also met face to face with the first representative of the Maori - the father of a large family, who came here with his family for the master's needs. Our women were slightly stunned to see a large wash in the ladies' room and shower, which his wife had arranged there.

The head of the family himself was busy with the children on the sandy shore of the lake. Older children, similar to our gypsies, ran to the side. And he helped his younger son sculpt some figures out of wet gray volcanic sand.

Approaching closer, they asked permission to take a picture of him - allowed. We met. His name was Moana - which in Maori means "wide expanse of water, the sea." A conversation ensued imperceptibly. All of his arms were tattoos. And some of them were not simple - some of them were completely tattooed on the background, and the untouched places formed an ornament!

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It is believed that New Zealand was inhabited by immigrants from eastern Polynesia about 1000 years ago and they retained their ancient way of life until the 20th century. The Maori were excellent warriors, fought for their independence for a long time and, in the end, defended it.

The Maori tattoo is an ancient tradition - after all, it shows the social status of a person. At the same time, it is also an initiation (dedication) - a test of endurance, since this procedure is rather painful. A tattoo for Maori is not only decoration. The spirals and lines of the tattoo also tell the life story of their owner, his genealogy and character traits.

The Maori could preserve these designs by embalming tattooed heads and skin cuts of the deceased, or by carving them into wood. So in many houses on the walls you can even find the heads of deceased ancestors, which track the entire family tree of the family. In this way, they kept their history. Noble men tattooed the entire face, and the body - from the waist to the knees. We have seen tattoos on the arms and legs and on many Maori women. However, already our ladies are not lagging behind them now in this respect ...

At parting, Moana introduced us to his wife, who had finished washing by this time. Her name was Ataahua - "beautiful." And in fact - she was, as we say with approval - "wow"! And something like a gypsy.

And then he showed us the Maori ritual of greeting and goodbye - nose to nose. And the longer the noses hold together, the more respect you show your counterpart. Everyone said goodbye to our new friend in Maori and we moved further north.

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We drive along Lake Taupo. It is of volcanic origin and was formed as a result of the strongest eruption of the Taupo volcano about 27,000 years ago. The whole island was then covered with a multi-meter layer of ash and around then almost all living things perished. Here, in the center of the island, there are still several active volcanoes.

Waikato River and Huka Falls

The only river, Waikato, flows out of Lake Taupo and we turn off to look at its rapid flow and piercing blue water. After a few kilometers, it enters a narrow rocky mouth and rushes along it with a roar, breaking off with the crystal clear Huka waterfall (38 ° 38'55 ″ S, 176 ° 05′25 ″ E). All tourists come to see this stormy stream.

They stand for a long time and watch, bewitched, as the soft blue water rushes down from the cliff with a frantic pressure. For those who have never seen any waterfalls or mountain rivers, Hook Falls seems grandiose.

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The water temperature in the river, depending on the summer-winter season, ranges from 22 to 10 degrees, the volume of water - from 32 to 270 cubic meters per second. Depending on the volume of water, the height of the waterfall also fluctuates from 7 to 9.5 meters. There was even a small hydroelectric power station on this waterfall for 20 years, but in 1950, in connection with the development of geothermal energy, it was dismantled.

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Depending on the amount of sunlight, the color of the water changes from white to deep turquoise. The coniferous forest, which densely grows along the banks of the river, adds to the picturesqueness of this place.

Due to the ongoing erosion, the waterfall is slowly but surely moving upstream and there may come a time when it will pour out directly from the lake ...

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Geothermal power plants

We go further - towards the city of Rotorua. The smell of hydrogen sulfide appeared in the air - the zone of geothermal activity of the island began. There are many geysers and boiling ponds around. Smoke comes from cracks in the ground in many places, so it's best not to walk in unfamiliar places.

About 20 kilometers before Rotorua, Solin turns off the road and we find ourselves in the Wairakei Geothermal Power geothermal industrial zone. The first experiments on the use of gratuitous energy began in 1950 and now a well-functioning industrial plant has been established here.

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About 200 wells were drilled to a depth of 2 km, of which only 60 are currently operating. Hot steam with a temperature of 230-260 degrees rises to the surface and is separated. Dry air is separated in one direction, and hot water in the other. The capacity of the plant is 1400 tons of steam per hour. Further, this raw material is transferred through pipes with a diameter of 300 to 1200 mm to thermal power plants.

Everything is very simple, and most importantly - the warmth turns out "on the ball"! Some are lucky!

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We arrived in Rotorua - the open and unspoken capital of the indigenous people of New Zealand - the Maori, before dark, so we had time before dinner, at which our guide and driver Colin promised a folk concert and national dishes, to slightly bypass the vicinity of our Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua.

Maori culture, arts and customs

Everywhere there was a persistent smell of hydrogen sulphide, emanating from the numerous hot springs that gurgled everywhere. One such small fountain was even at the door of the pool of our Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua. There was no way to get rid of hydrogen sulfide, because in huge quantities it burst out from the ground in many parts of the city.

After walking around the city a little before dinner, we practically did not see the indigenous Maori. There were few people and, mostly, they were tourists. The building of the hydropathic establishment, built at the end of the 19th century, serves as a decoration of the city. It is surrounded by a large park in which outlandish birds roam freely among the flowers. In many places of the park, plots of land are fenced off and streams of smoke flow from there and in the depths there is something "squirt".

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In the evening, right at our hotel, a traditional dinner was held with the national dish Hanga - pieces of meat baked in an earthen oven and a Maori amateur concert. Dinner was ok, but we didn't see the cooking process or the earthen oven itself. Looking ahead, I will say that the islanders in Fiji fully showed us this process.

The concert was preceded by an introduction to some of the main Maori customs, which were shown to us before dinner by two colorful representatives of this tribe. Well, with these customs - how to say hello and goodbye, we got acquainted in the afternoon when we met our Maori Moana on Lake Taupo.

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Then all the newly arrived tourists were invited to a restaurant and local amateur performances - songs and dances - unfolded on the stage. The Maori songs were very melodic and perky. And they really bore witness to their Polynesian roots.

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The Maori were militant and independent and fought the British for a long time. Their dances, and especially the battle dance "haka", express the desire to defeat the enemy. Our dancers diligently rotated the whites of their eyes and stuck out their tongues, apparently trying to scare the "enemy" to death with such gestures. Interestingly, now some modern sports teams in New Zealand, before meeting with the enemy, perform this dance on the field for football or rugby!

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Digging into the history of the Maori, I was horrified to discover that they have pronounced cannibal addictions, however, like most other islanders of the Pacific region. But Jules Verne also wrote about this more than a hundred years ago.

It is believed that New Zealand was settled about 1000 years ago by immigrants from eastern Polynesia who had a weakness for human flesh, and the Maori maintained this ancient way of life until the 20th century. There is even Cannibal Bay on the South Island of NZ. Thousands of human remains were found here after bloody feasts. They usually ate prisoners ...

Many traditions associated with cannibalism had deep roots and were based on the prevailing belief that a dish made of the flesh of enemies contains their strong qualities: the brain is wisdom, the heart is courage, etc. Therefore, the white man in this regard had a clear preference over the natives - for the most part they were wise and courageous. True, some savages believed that the use of salt by white people spoils the taste of their meat ...

Cannibalism was also widespread in western Polynesia, close to Melanesia, in Fiji, and the Tonga islands. It was common as far east as the Marquesas, Easter Island and the Cook Islands. The Maori of New Zealand considered the meat of enemies the most coveted target of hostilities. Throughout Polynesia, the practice of cannibalism was motivated by revenge, since eating the body of the enemy was an expression of the highest degree of contempt for the defeated.

Knowing all this, these young men, performing warlike dances, saw a different way. At the end of the performance, they invited us to the stage to complete this holiday together.

At the same time, we had to rotate our eyes as much as possible in different directions, roll up the whites of our eyes "up to the sky" and stick our tongue out of our mouth as much as possible, and even at the same time emit shrill triumphant cries! With such gestures, we had to intimidate the "enemy" to the extreme.

By the way, we met one of these warrior-dancers the next day in the thermal reserve, where he worked as a woodcarver. Without saying a word, we greeted like old acquaintances - in Maori - nose to nose!
- a geothermal zone with its geysers and mud volcanoes, a show with rams and sheep in the "Agrodom" and acquaintance with the Maori folk applied art.

For the first time in history, data from archaeological excavations have become an object of state secrets!

In August 2004, one of the most unusual weddings in the history of the British monarchy took place at London's Kensington Palace. Queen Elizabeth II's cousin Davidine Winsor married thirty-three-year-old New Zealander Henry Lewis, the son of a farmer and waitress. In recent decades, such unequal marriages in aristocratic families will surprise no one, but this is a special case - for the first time a woman from a European royal family married a man of a different race. The fact is that Henry Lewis is a native Maori. Many journalists and politicians were delighted, considering this marriage the "pinnacle" of tolerance, and the triumph of the principles of intolerance to racial prejudice. It was especially emphasized in press publications that the newlywed is a citizen of New Zealand, which over the past fifty years is considered an example of a successful and just settlement of relations between the descendants of Europeans and local aborigines. However, not everything is so simple in New Zealand history ...

The New Zealand archipelago was discovered by the Dutch captain Abel Tasman, who on December 13, 1642, on two ships approached the coast of New Zealand between the modern cities of Hokitika and Okarito on the western coast of the South Island. The very first meeting with the local aborigines ended in bloodshed, initiated by the Maori aborigines (translated from Maori - "ordinary people"), who attacked the Dutch boats in their canoes. Several sailors were killed, and Tasman had to fight off the warlike natives with cannon fire. After the incident, Tasman named the bay where the events took place Moordenaers Baij. This gloomy name was confirmed when on its shore, for no apparent reason, the Maori killed 25 French sailors from the expedition of N. Marion-Dufresne (1714-1772). I had to fight the Maori and the famous navigator James Cook, who annexed the archipelago to British possessions.

Colonization of New Zealand began in the 1790s. The first English settlers already knew that they would have to face brutal savage warriors, who, moreover, turned out to be cannibals.

It would seem that the fate of the Maori is a foregone conclusion ...

Firearms, alcohol, infectious diseases, to which the natives did not have immunity, mercilessly did their job: the number of Maori began to decline rapidly. One flu epidemic claimed tens of thousands of lives. Irreparable damage to the wildlife of the archipelago and Maori agriculture (40% of New Zealand's territory before the appearance of Europeans was sown by the main Maori crop - sweet potato kumara) was caused by pigs and rats introduced by Europeans. All this was accompanied by armed clashes with white settlers and British troops, as well as bloody tribal strife, in which firearms were already widely used, freely sold to the aborigines by English traders. Cook found 250 thousand Maori on the islands of the archipelago, and by 1854 there were just over 60 thousand of them. In light of this, it should not come as a surprise that to this day, the Maori call all Europeans the word "pakeha" - "white pigs".

However, in fairness, we note that in the history of New Zealand the Maori themselves do not look much better than the colonialists. Suffice it to recall that the famous leader ("arik") Hongi Hicka (c. 1780-1828), sung in Maori folklore, who visited England in 1820 and even received personally by King George IV, sold all the gifts received from the king, and with the proceeds bought Australia has a whole arsenal of guns. With the help of these guns, his warriors completely exterminated one of the neighboring tribes - 1,500 people. Thus, the Maori leaders themselves made a feasible contribution to the destruction of their own people.

Special mention should be made of Maori cannibalism, the facts of which modern scientists, as a rule, shyly keep silent about. There was even a version according to which the growth of the Maori population shortly before the appearance of Europeans had grown so much that people began to lack protein food, and they began to eat each other.

In principle, such a tragedy is possible. Something similar once happened on Easter Island, and presumably - on Ponape. But, nevertheless, you probably need to listen to the first explorer of New Zealand, James Cook:

“One of the many arguments I have heard given to explain this terrible custom is that it is caused by a lack of animal food, but it is easy to prove to those who make this argument how far removed from facts and circumstances. In every part of New Zealand where I have been, there are so many fish that the natives not only had an abundance of it, but they have always supplied us. They have a variety of dogs, and they also do not lack wild birds. So, in my opinion, neither the lack of animal food, nor the desire for any other food can be the cause. But be that as it may, I think that the love for human meat is too obvious, because they give such a great preference for this kind of food ... If my memory serves me, one of the reasons they gave ... is to kill and eat a person who would do the same to them, if it were in his power, is not ashamed. "What harm can there be," they said, "from the fact that we eat our enemies, killed by us in battle? Wouldn't the same enemies do the same to us?"

Cook believed that, being in long isolation, being separated from the whole world by huge ocean spaces, the Maori people literally went wild. All fought against all, there was a continuous struggle for the limited resources of the islands, the villages had to be fortified with ditches and palisades. The arrival of the Europeans, the Maori perceived as the emergence of a new source of food.

It is not difficult to notice a certain similarity between the Maori and the Indians of North America. Both were brave, skillful and cruel warriors, and they both could not resist the "gifts of the white man" - infectious diseases, alcoholism and problems generated by the proliferation of firearms. However, their further destinies are strikingly different ...

In 1840, the Waitangi Agreement, a document that laid the foundations for modern New Zealand, was signed in English and Maori. Although the Anglo-Maori wars continued until 1872, it was this agreement that ended the strife between whites and aborigines, and between various Maori tribes. The integration of the natives into a single community of New Zealanders began.

At the end of the 19th century, official legal equality was established between Maori and New Zealanders of European descent, with the preservation of some forms of Maori autonomy ("King's Country" - the mountainous interior of the North Island and a number of tribal territories). The Maori also received political rights: since 1867, they have been sending their deputies to parliament. In fact, since that time, there has been a system of free education for Maori, and in 1900 a special program of free health care for the indigenous people was adopted. In 1987, the Maori language was recognized as the second state language. However, 1977 was a landmark year for the Maori, when the Waitangi Court began to operate in the country, according to whose decisions Maori began to receive compensation for land losses during the wars with the British until 1872.

All the privileges and preferences received by the Maori are based on the principle of recognition by Europeans of their "birthright", which supposedly follows from the very history of human development of the New Zealand archipelago. But is it?

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Historians consider New Zealand to be the last place on the planet inhabited by humans. According to Maori legend, around 950, the Polynesian navigator Coupe, guided by the stars, the flight of birds and the color of the clouds, arrived in his Mata-hou-rua canoe to the shores of an unknown land, which he called Aotearoa - the Land of the Long White Cloud. After a while, he returned to his homeland - the island of Hawaiki, where he told his relatives about his discovery and left detailed instructions on how to reach the newly discovered land. Between 1000 and 1100 the archipelago was visited by sailors from Hawaii Toi and Fatonga, who discovered that the land was inhabited by nomadic tribes known as the Moriori or "moa hunters" (moa is now exterminated, large, flightless bird). Let's make a reservation right away, Hawaiian from the legend is in no way connected with the Hawaiian Islands. Most likely, these are some small islands in Eastern Polynesia (presumably Cook or Society). The very word "Hawaiki", which is widespread in other Polynesian languages, means "where they all came from" and among different tribal groups it can mean completely different geographical points. Several centuries later, in 1350, the Polynesians from Hawaica reached Aotearoa in seven canoes, and settled on the North and South islands. From these newcomers, the Maori people allegedly originated. Modern Maori love their genealogy, and each tribe ("willow") traces its origin from a specific ancestor who arrived in the archipelago 700 years ago. There is even a special term "waka" meaning "canoe" and extending to a group of genera descended from the first settlers who arrived in one of the seven canoes.

The actual "father" of Maori history is considered to be the English ethnologist and topographer Stevenson Percy Smith, who used the method of comparative analysis and comparison of legends, genealogies and names of Polynesian peoples in its creation. He also developed the chronology of Maori history. Half a century ago, New Zealand schoolchildren were taught that before the advent of the Maori, New Zealand was inhabited by the Moriori people, some of whom were killed by the Maori, and some were ousted to the Chatham Islands.

This story is indirectly confirmed by the events of 1835, when several Maori, who were in the crews of whaling ships, ended up on the Chatham Islands and, with undisguised surprise and anger, discovered the Moriori there. Returning to New Zealand, they told their fellow tribesmen about it. Soon an armada of Maori fighting canoes went to sea. The Maori landed on Chatham and their warriors began to systematically and brutally exterminate the Moriori, regardless of gender or age. The peaceful Moriori, in whose traditions there was a taboo on military action, became easy prey for the warlike Maori. The colonial authorities intervened with a great delay. Under pressure from British soldiers, the last Maori left Chatham in 1870, but by that time only 100 people remained of the 2,000 Moriori. The last purebred Moriori died in 1933, but New Zealand is home to 500 people of mixed blood, traditionally self-identified as Moriori.

As the modern Russian researcher A. Nizovsky justly remarked, the reason for such a genocide "may be the presence of some old hatred that the Maori harbored towards the Moriori." However, several decades ago, a group of New Zealand historians (mostly descendants of Maori), supported by the government, invented two new ridiculous terms: "classic Maori" and "archaic Maori". Say, the first are those who arrived in New Zealand in the XIV century, and the "archaic Maori" are the same Maori, but who lived in the archipelago before that and are known under the name Moriori or "Moa hunters". The goal of historians is understandable - to prove that the Maori were the first people in New Zealand and no other peoples except them in the early development of the archipelago. The position of the historians of the "reformers" actually became official.

What explains the changes made in the history of New Zealand over the past decades? Probably, A. Nizovsky is partly right, who writes:

“Many Maori today are MPs, big businessmen, respected people with higher education, and it is not entirely correct to constantly remind these people that until recently their grandfathers went without pants and ate people. For the sake of this notorious "political correctness" in today's New Zealand, the Maori language is declared the second state language (although very few people speak it), a constant sense of guilt towards the Maori, allegedly "suffering from post-colonial trauma", is cultivated among the "pakeh". The "revival" of the culture and traditional way of life of the Maori - the so-called Maoritang - is acquiring hypertrophied forms, which looks rather like the imposition of this culture on all non-Maori. School textbooks are also being rewritten in line with this policy ”.

New Zealand's early history has been the subject of bitter controversy between official "reformer" historians and historians known as "conservatives," who argue that known archaeological evidence does not allow it to be confidently asserted that Maori and Moriori are one and the same people. It should be noted that for the unwritten and rather primitive island cultures of the Pacific Ocean, archeology is the main, if not the only, objective way of studying ancient history. It is obvious to all historians that both Maori and Moriori are peoples of Polynesian origin, however, this is clearly not enough to consider them one people. This is the same as declaring the Russians and the British as one people, only on the grounds that both are Indo-Europeans. New Zealand historians "conservatives" explicitly state that the reason for rewriting history is not at all "postcolonial trauma", but in the banal struggle for land ownership and compensation. For 2008, the government has already paid Māori $ 900 million in compensation. This is a lot of money for a country with a population of just over 4 million. Note that now 320 thousand Maori live in New Zealand, which is no more than 10% of the population, half of whom are not purebred aborigines, but mestizos, in whose veins half, or even more, European blood flows. However, due to compensation and various benefits, it is more profitable for them to be officially considered Maori. Most modern Maori live in cities, and traditional Maori life can only be seen in a few special villages, which are an attraction for foreign tourists. The archaeological excavations, which have been carried out for thirty years in the Waipua forest on the Severny Island, have added to the controversy between the official historians and the historians "conservatives". In 1988, the New Zealand government by a special decree classified all the results of the excavations for 75 years. This ban caused a real scandal and was widely discussed in the press and parliament, indignant letters were sent from all over New Zealand. The government awkwardly, and even somehow timidly, tried to justify itself, explaining its position by the interests of politics, but did not change its decision. Signed by the head of the archaeological expedition, Michael Taylor, the document contains 14 pages of secret text and imposes a prohibition on the disclosure of some information related to field reports of excavations in the Waipua forest from 1979 to 1988. The ban will last until 2063. From now on, any New Zealand archaeologist who worked in Waipua and tried to tell something about his research will be considered a traitor to his homeland.

In the New Zealand, Australian and British press, the archaeological site in Waipua Forest was instantly overgrown with all kinds of rumors and speculation. It was obvious to everyone that archaeologists had discovered some ancient buildings, the existence of which did not fit into the official history of New Zealand. Some witnesses claimed that the head of the New Zealand Archaeological Advisory Committee, Ned Nathan, after reviewing the results of radiocarbon analysis, exclaimed: "This is 500 years before we got here!" “Who got there? Spaniards? Portuguese? Chinese? Malays? The Incas? The mysterious Hawaiian people Menehune? - asks A. Nizovsky. "Obviously, we'll find out in 2063 ..."

However, in our opinion, all these assumptions are very far from the truth. If archaeologists discovered an ancient settlement of the Portuguese, Spaniards, Chinese, or even Incas in the Waipua Forest, it would be a sensation, but what's the point of the New Zealand government keeping it secret?

Closer to the truth seems to be the version expressed in one Australian newspaper, according to which archaeologists have discovered in the Waipua forest a real, stone Domorian city, consisting of more than 2 thousand buildings, spread over an area of ​​500 acres, like the megalithic structures of Ponape. It made sense for the New Zealand authorities to classify such a find, because by its very existence it contradicts the policy of satisfying the dependent aspirations of the Maori population, preventing it from "exercising the birthright." After all, if the Maori cease to be considered the first settlers of the country, then their claims for the return of land and compensation, if not completely unfounded, then, at least, cease to be so indisputable.

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And here's another:

"In the heart of New Zealand's North Island lies Lake Taupo. Surrounding the lake are pristine wilderness forests that are now designated Kaimanawa Forest Park. Lake Taupo was formed on the site of a giant volcanic crater. This feature of the lake attracts many tourists. In the 1990s, thirty kilometers from this lake in the forest, next to the road, tourists discovered the mysterious ruins of a once gigantic structure widely known in New Zealand as the Kaimanawa Wall.

These ruins became visible, apparently as a result of rains eroding the soil under the roots of a huge tree on a hillock. Part of the wall was exposed, composed of rectangular stone blocks, each of which is about one meter high, about two meters long, and weighs several tons. Some blocks are fitted to each other with pinpoint precision. In these places of the masonry between the giant blocks, it is impossible to push the blade of a knife, but some blocks parted, and gaps of several centimeters formed between them, which can be explained by the uneven settlement of the foundation under the blocks.

On the exposed part of the giant wall, a straight, horizontal line is clearly traced between the laying of the lower and upper rows of blocks, which indicates a planned construction according to the laws of geometry adopted today. This type of masonry, according to the straightforward laws of geometry, is more characteristic of the Atlantic period of civilization ...

And if we assume that this island existed during Atlantis in the form of an island, then we can safely say that the Kaimanawa wall belongs to the Atlantic period.

In New Zealand, the matter goes no further than the controversy of how these ruins arose - naturally, or this wall was built by people. Only materialistic scientists believe in the first version (or pretend to believe), the second version is believed by all the others, but none of them dares to say that such fundamental buildings belong to the handiwork of local aborigines, who have never built anything more solid than straw dugouts.

As a result, no one dares to clean up the area around the mysterious ruins of the Kaimanawa Wall. And in the pictures you can see that the roots of the trees hide a few more rectangular blocks. And what could be under the wall? Maybe the whole city or the ruins of a huge building? What other mysteries are hidden in the ground around the Kaimanawa Wall? Who dares to take responsibility and carry out scientific archaeological work there?

The answer to the question, what is the antiquity of these ruins, can give a two-meter layer of humus, which has accumulated over the walls of Kaimanawa. According to rough estimates, it takes several hundred millennia to form such a layer of soil ... "

Well, about hundreds of millennia - that's the layman's approach. Experts say that a meter layer of soil grows in about 10,000 years. And taking into account the preservation of the Mesozoic evergreen forests of the subtropical zone, 1 meter of soil can grow in 5,000 years.

"There are three main versions about its origin:

1. The Kaimanawa Wall was built about two thousand years ago by the first settlers of New Zealand, known as the Waitaha, who were later exterminated by the Maori.

2. The wall is a remnant of a hospital built 50 years or more ago.

3. It's just a natural rock formation.

Future exploration of the Kaimanawa Wall will undoubtedly reduce this list to one point. However, the fact that a beech tree with a girth of 2.9 m grows on one of the sections of the wall greatly reduces the likelihood that its age is 50 years or a little more ... "

“Maori legends often refer to white people with blond or red hair, whom the islanders called“ kiri-puvero ”or“ uru-keu. ”Skeletons of strange people with red, brown or blond hair have been found throughout New Zealand at various times In particular, the skeletons of two women with blond hair below the knee were found in a cave near Dargavill in the early 1900s. In 1965, the remains of several tall men with red hair were found in a cave burial near Port Waikato. "

Somehow, local archaeologists fail to preserve the honor and glory of the Maori as pioneers in this area. It seems that the descendants of the Atlanteans favorably accepted the ancestors of the Maori, taught them crafts, playing the flute, and the Maori ate them as gratitude. They realized that the Atlanteans were not only mind, honor and conscience, but also tens of kilograms of dietary, easily digestible meat.

* * *
In January 2009, New Zealand saw the first riots in decades, accompanied by street riots. Although it is difficult for us to consider a few fights and a couple of broken shop windows as excitement, this is quite enough for a quiet New Zealand. Journalists covered this event as a consequence of the crisis that gripped the world economy. However, even in the footage of the short TV report, it is clear that in the small, beer-warmed crowd, who were picking up confused police officers in beach shorts and baseball caps, only Maori faces are represented, and in fact there is not a single European face. If this is the case, then the first alarm bell has already rang for a prosperous, well-fed and very tolerant New Zealand.

Let's wait for 2063.

After people settled on the North Island, Maui brought them a fire on which people could cook their own food and exterminated all monsters. And Maui dies because of another bird, a funny wagtail, while trying to destroy the goddess of death Hina and thereby grant people immortality.
read a fairy tale about Maui

Exterminating monsters, Maui definitely overdid it, for the kiwi bird remained the largest land creature on the islands. And from the "monsters" the victims of the first people were the flightless bird moa and the giant eagle hunting it, the largest of the feathered predators in the world (weight up to 14 kg, wingspan up to 2.6 m).

reconstruction with a stuffed moa

Before the arrival of man, New Zealand was the kingdom of birds; mammals did not exist here at all, with the exception of a few species of bats. The queen of this feathered state was a huge flightless bird moa. The largest representatives (females) reached a height of 3.6 meters and weighed about 250 kg. The moa did not even have rudimentary wings, the rudiments of the forelimbs were absorbed even before hatching from the egg - a unique phenomenon among birds. There were 10 types of moa, but by the beginning of the 16th century, all of them were eaten without a trace. The giant flightless birds were too easy prey for the early hunters and their dogs. So pretty soon there was a shortage of meat, and the natives had nothing to eat - only roots, fish, dogs and each other.

Maui as a cultural hero belongs to Polynesian mythology, because it was the Polynesian navigator Coupe who first sailed here on a light catamaran at the end of the 10th century, opening the way for future settlers.

video installation of the travel of the first Maori, Te Papa Museum

But the bulk of the settlers arrived in New Zealand during the Great Migration from Hawaii, which can be traced back to around 1350. Most likely, it was associated with internal conflicts, due to which part of the tribes who lost in the struggle were forced to leave their homeland.
Geographically, Hawaica is not the Hawaiian Islands at all, but the island of Raiatea, which belongs to the Tahiti archipelago. Here the appearance of the Polynesian culture proper took shape and the religion and mythology of the Polynesians were formed, from here the colonization of other islands of Polynesia proceeded in all directions, including the western ones - Samoa, Tonga and others.
The culture of the Polynesians is far from being as primitive as it seemed to some scientists earlier. Indeed, the Polynesians did not know metals, pottery and weaving, did not use bows and arrows, and walked half naked. But, on the other hand, they were skilled farmers, using artificial irrigation and fertilization on some islands. Excavations show that the Polynesians were also excellent architects: their stone architecture is monumental and impressive. Brave and skilled seafarers, the Polynesians were also virtuoso shipbuilders. Each of their seagoing boats was a true work of art, although it was made with stone axes, and parts of its hull were held together with plant fiber cords. It is not surprising that the traditions of the Polynesians keep not only the names of outstanding leaders and helmsmen, but also the names of boats and even the proper names of steering oars and sails.

According to legend, the exiles went to the shores of the new land on 7 large boats - "Arava", "Tainui", "Mataatua", "Kurahaupo", "Tokomaro", "Takimutu" and "Aotea", the names of which passed to the Maori tribes. Now the Polynesians do not build such ships, but in the earliest reports about the islands of the South Seas there are descriptions of ships that may have resembled the "Ocean ships" of the Polynesians. For example, Captain Cook drew attention to a double canoe, which the Tahitians called pai, with a large matting sail, designed for long voyages. Its length exceeded fifty feet.

One of these ships, serving for trips from Tonga to Fiji, was portrayed by the artist of the Cook expedition, James Weber. His drawing shows a wide double canoe with one large triangular sail. Weber tried to sail himself in one of these canoes. Its speed reached about seven knots, which made it possible for the Maori to cover the distance between Raiatea and the North Island in about a month.

Sailing to the islands, the future Maori saw white clouds stretched over the coastal hills. Perhaps this is how the name Aotearoa, "Land of the Long White Cloud" (ao = cloud, tea = white, roa = long), came into being, which later became the generally accepted name in the Maori language for the whole country.

It is interesting to explore the migration routes of ancient people based on the plants they cultivated. So, the history of the spread of sweet potatoes is very curious.
The sweet potato is a herbaceous vine with long, creeping stems. The lateral roots of the sweet potato are strongly thickened and form tubers with edible pulp. The second name for sweet potato is sweet potato, but don't be fooled by that. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are very distant relatives: the former belongs to the nightshade family, and sweet potatoes are a representative of the bindweed family.

The birthplace of sweet potato is Peru and Colombia (Andes), where local tribes domesticated it 6-8 thousand years ago. However, even before the time of Columbus, sweet potatoes were distributed throughout Oceania, reaching the West Indies, southern and eastern Polynesia, Easter Island and New Zealand.

How the sweet potato spread over such long distances is still the subject of scientific controversy. The hypothesis that the tubers were carried by ocean currents was ruled out as they deteriorate in seawater. Philologists point to the similarity of the names of sweet potatoes in unrelated languages: kuumala and its derivatives in Polynesia; kumara, cumar, cumal - in the Quechua language of the Indians of South America.
This can only be explained in this way: either the sweet potato was brought by the Indians of South America, for the first time inhabiting Polynesia; or the Polynesians, being from Asia, themselves swam to the Indians.

The reality of the first version was brilliantly proved by the famous Norwegian ethnographer and traveler Thor Heyerdahl. In 1947, he and five other travelers sailed on the Kon-Tiki raft they built from balsa wood. In 101 days, they sailed from the Peruvian coast to the Tuamotu Islands in eastern Polynesia. The voyage on the Kon-Tiki demonstrated that a primitive raft, using the Humboldt current and a tailwind, could indeed navigate the Pacific Ocean in a westerly direction with relative ease and safety.

Examples of backwash include the Peruvian mummy at the Bolton Museum; it was found that the resin of a coniferous tree growing only in Oceania was used for its embalming. The date of embalming is around 1200 A.D.

One way or another, the fact of the existence of ancient Polynesian-American ties can be considered largely proven. Likewise, recent genetic studies on sweet potatoes support the theory that sweet potatoes made it to Oceania several times: first from South America, and then, starting in the sixteenth century, Europeans (Spanish and Portuguese) spread varieties from the West Indies here.
As for the New Zealand sweet potato, a fun fact is associated with it: the South American variety grown by the Maori was supplanted by the sweet potato that sailed in 1850 on an American whaling ship.

Wellington is home to New Zealand's largest national museum, Te Papa. In its current form, it was opened to the public only in 1998. The museum definitely deserves attention, especially if you are traveling with children - there are many interactive exhibits showing the structure of the earth, simulating earthquakes, the work of shark jaws and the human heart. You can also get to know the Maori culture there.

The literal translation of the self-name māori means "ordinary" ("natural", "normal"). This concept was used by the ancient people to distinguish people from gods and spirits.

The photo above is a mask-copy of the face of Taupua Te Whanoa, the leader of the Ngati Whakaue tribe, (1854). On it we can see all his tattoos - moco. The presence of moco has long been considered a sign of social status, so members of the lower stratum of society were not allowed to get a tattoo on their face. But they were allowed to have tattoo elements on their bodies. For women, tattooing on the cheeks and lips was considered traditional, and for men - on the face, thighs and buttocks. The tattoo applied to men and women on the rest of the body was of much lesser importance.

painting by G.F.Goldie "The Widow".
Te Papa Museum, Wellington.

A woman holds a jade figurine of Hei Tiki in her hands. Jade (Maor. "Pounamu") - a favorite and sacred stone for the Maori, it is found in the reservoirs and fjords of the South Island. The color of the stone is very similar to the color of the water in lakes and mountain rivers, therefore another name for the South Island of Te Wai Pounamu is "Land of Jade Water".

Tiki is the first person, the ancestor of people on Earth. The image of Tiki accompanied and still accompanies the Maori at almost every step. A huge wooden Tiki adorns the entrance to the village, small, but also wooden, guards the sacred places.

Maori made fighting canoes from the trunks of relatively small century-old cowries. One of the main problems was to knock down such a massive tree - the Maori did not have the tools for this. The mighty trunk was slowly burned out and gradually hewn over the course of many months. When the tree finally fell, the post-processing process was ritualized and surrounded by many taboos. For example, women were not supposed to see the making of canoes (on pain of death). A good cowrie canoe was the greatest wealth and had its own name.

The photo below shows the pataka - a warehouse / storage facility for valuables, weapons or food important to the survival of the tribe.

This extraordinarily large and elaborately crafted pataka is a symbol of the wealth and strength of the Ngati Pikiao tribe. She has her own name - Te Takinga, after the name of the warrior, the ancestor of the tribe. Te Takinga is depicted above the gable of the building, and below are his three wives.

In the museum, you can go to the working marae - a sacred meeting place for the Maori.
Marae is a kind of symbol of national identity for the Maori. It is believed that strong mana is concentrated in the mara. It is quite difficult to translate this word literally, mana for Maori is power (including magical), power and prestige at the same time.

These houses were considered living things. Their inner space was called the belly, the beams were called the spine, and the mask over the roof ridge was called the head. These houses were decorated with carvings depicting gods, leaders and events of the past.

When visiting a marae, it is customary to adhere to traditional forms of etiquette.
It all starts with "pōwhiri" - the formal greeting of the guest and "wero" - the meeting of the guest. First, the guard in the marai sings, notifying his fellow tribesmen that he is vigilant and ready, if necessary, to repulse the enemy. Then the warrior, threateningly waving a kapi of tai-aha, approaches the guests and throws a twig or leaf at their feet. If the guest picks them up, it means that he has come in peace. And in this case, the guard calmly turns his back to the guests and leads them to the shed, where further reception will take place.
After completing the wero ritual, Maori women perform karanga, a kind of welcome roll call. Well, the women who came with a group of guests must answer and, in turn, also perform karanga after the women from the owners' marae. Only after the performance of karanga, the guests enter the marae. You must take off your shoes before entering.

Then, when the guests enter the meetinghouse, the next stage begins - greetings (mihimihi) and welcome speeches (whaikorero). The oldest man of the host's tribe begins to speak first, then in response to him the speech should be given by the oldest of the guests who arrived. Women are not allowed to speak. Occasionally, waiata, or greeting songs, are also performed along with the welcoming speeches.

After the official part of the welcoming ritual is over, the host greets the guest by means of hongi - a traditional Maori greeting, which is a touch of noses (in our case, hongs are sometimes also called "Maori kiss").

Interestingly, a similar tradition exists in Eskimo culture. "Eskimo kiss" kunik- a form of expression of affection, usually between members of the same family or lovers. One of the participants presses the nose and upper lip against the skin (usually the forehead or cheeks) of the other and inhales the air. There is a misconception that this tradition arose among the Eskimos due to the fact that their lips freeze to each other in severe frost with ordinary kisses. In fact, this action has no erotic meaning, but is a form of friendly greeting between loved ones who, when meeting, often have only nose and eyes naked with their clothes.

Another important element of the Maori culture is the Kapa Haka dance system, which includes several directions at once. Firstly, it is the male haka dance, known all over the world thanks to the All Blacks national rugby team of New Zealand, one of the strongest in the world, whose players traditionally perform haku before the match. Initially, this dance was performed to summon the spirits of nature or before engaging in battle. Distinctive features of khaki - protruding tongue and brutal facial expression to intimidate the enemy.
And also a description with gestures of what they will do with this enemy :)

Secondly, this is the female poi dance, today better known as a form of juggling with balls on ropes.
By the way, New Zealand in 1893 became the first country in the world to grant women equal suffrage.

The Maori were fierce warriors and disliked outsiders. When Captain Abel Tasman of the Dutch East India Company attempted to land on an uncharted coast in 1642, the Maori attacked a group of Europeans and killed several sailors. Frustrated, Tasman named this place Assassin's Cove (now Golden Bay near Abel Tasman National Park) and sailed away.
Tasman marked the new open land on the map as "Staten Landt". But Dutch cartographers changed the name to Nova Zeelandia, in honor of one of the provinces of the Netherlands - Zeeland (Dutch. Zeeland). And they forgot about her for more than a century - no one had either the need or the desire to sail into such a distance.
Until James Cook appeared on the horizon.

(to be continued)

Maori tribesNew Zealand

In the minds of many people, Australia and New Zealand are twins and brothers. Most likely, this impression is created due to the fact that when looking at the world map, these two countries appear to be close. But if you think about it, then next to it is more than one and a half thousand kilometers of the Tasman Sea, and what unites Australia and New Zealand is perhaps the colonial past, and even then with certain reservations. The first European to set foot on New Zealand in 1642 was Abel Tasman. Apparently, he stumbled upon it quite by accident after sailing from Van Diemen's land he discovered - modern Australian Tasmania. It is thanks to Tasman that New Zealand is now called so. The Dutchman named her that after his native European Zealand. They turned out to be strikingly similar. The same hilly meadows, fields and not too welcoming nature. The Dutchman did not undertake a detailed study of this land. This, in general, was not part of his tasks, and he did not have the necessary forces. The fact is that the indigenous Polynesian population of the island, the Maori, was openly hostile to the European newcomers. They killed four members of Tasman's team. As it turned out later, the Maori had a fairly advanced civilization by the standards of that time, and this was only the first of many subsequent clashes with the colonialists. Unlike the Australian aborigines, they were able to provide them with quite worthy resistance, because for a long time they considered this land their own. It is believed that the settlement of the New Zealand islands by the Polynesians began in 1350, when a fleet of seven pies landed on the North Island. Thanks to the numerous volcanoes, the new homeland of the Polynesians was named "Aotearoa", which means "Land of the Long White Cloud". The second person who experienced the difficult nature of the Maori was Captain James Cook. In search of a new southern continent, he appeared in these waters in 1769. As in the case of the Dutch explorer, the reaction of the indigenous Maori population was extremely hostile. But since the British were ready for such a reception, everything went without loss among the aliens, although several islanders were killed in the skirmish. Cook decided to explore the coastline of New Zealand in detail. As a result of a four-month voyage around the North Island and a seven-week around the South Island, a surprisingly accurate map of this land was born. The road was open for the colonization of New Zealand. At first, a thin, and then more and more extensive stream of whalers, missionaries or simply adventurers from all over the world, primarily from England, stretched to this fertile land. The new inhabitants of the two large islands did not care at all that they were, in general, densely populated, however, as it turned out later, bloodthirsty cannibals. This initially cooled the ardor of the new settlers. The British did not dare to openly clash with numerous Maori, especially since the French also showed great interest in the North Island. We decided to come to terms with the indigenous population in an amicable way. In 1840, 46 Maori chiefs signed a treaty that agreed to join British sovereignty. A year later, however, it was announced that the land that was not used by the Maori would go into the possession of the British government. This caused a storm of displeasure, and then fierce resistance. For the next quarter of a century, New Zealand plunged into the abyss of wars. But, as it is not difficult to guess, the Maori had no chance of winning, although they achieved complete equality for themselves. In 1907, New Zealand successfully became a British dominion. M aori consider themselves the descendants of the "canoe people" - Polynesian warriors who, according to legend, arrived here from the mythical land of Hawaii on seven canoes - Arava, Aote-va, Matatua, Tainuio, Kurahaupo, Tokomaru, Takitumu ... From them came the names of the tribes that started then, Maori is a collective name. The Maori settled on the shores of the North Island, hunted and fished. They fearlessly resisted the landing of A. Tasman, who was the first to describe a people with a bizarre tattoo. When Cook rediscovered New Zealand, the Maori occupied every convenient territory here. According to his descriptions, their fortified villages - "paa" - were most often located on a hill, surrounded by a dense wooden fence and an earthen rampart. At the head of the community was the leader of the "Rangatira", and he played an important role in the development of art, as he distributed orders for artistic handicrafts. His power was supported by a "tohunga" - a priest whose main task was to perform rituals and observe customs. In the Maori community, artisans were revered by everyone, and they passed their skills and abilities from father to son. The flourishing of Maori art was facilitated by the abundance of tree species, easily amenable to processing, a relatively large amount of semi-precious green stone - jade, and finally, a rapid population growth, which led to a lively exchange of new ideas and figurative forms. In the absence of metal, both wood and stone were cut with fragments of obsidian and volcanic glass. Maori carvers limited themselves to a few motifs and basic ornaments, endlessly varying their main element - the spiral. It is also interesting to note that they were guided not by animalistic forms, but almost exclusively by human ones - by the image of the deity "tiki", extremely stylized and only in isolated cases reproducing a person in individual traits. The carved gates at the entrance to the Maori village, the gable roof of the meetinghouse, without which no Maori settlement can be imagined, was also decorated with lush carvings of soft brick-colored wood - "totara". Every detail of the thread is filled with meaning. The meetinghouse was dedicated to a famous leader or ancestor who strengthened the spirit of the tribe. The Maori did not have written transmissions of information, and such a carving not only visibly reminded of the ancestor of the tribe, but also carried a "video recording" of his genealogy. The leader, who had the image of an ancestor in front of his eyes, asked him for protection and help for his tribe. Rotorua is the "most Maori" region of the country, located in the center of the North Island. Rotorua's fame is based on two pillars: the famous spa resort and the surrounding area, where most of the Maori settlements are located. There is a characteristic smell of hydrogen sulfide in the air. Rotorua - a city and a lake - is located in a zone of increased thermal activity. Trickles of steam hit the ground at every hotel or motel, and they seem to be the main source of this city. Bakarevapeba - on the southern outskirts of Rotorua - houses the Maori Institute of Arts and Crafts. A huge geyser located on its territory shimmers like a rainbow in the sun; under the high walkways leading to it, everything gurgles, boils and foams. The institute receives twenty thousand tourists annually, and the proceeds from their visit go to teaching students the Maori art. NS burdens are trained in carving, girls - in weaving from New Zealand flax; their dexterous fingers create patterns on the forehead bandages - "kakhani", skirts, festive clothes. In a room encircled by a visitor's gallery, ten Maori youths sit, chisels and chisels in hand, over long wooden plates. They "extract" from them stylized portraits of formidable and ferocious leaders and warriors. The master teacher walks between them giving directions. So, the gifted Maori youth - several dozen people - are studying here. Well, and the bulk - where, what does she study? Questions arise one after another. But it is awkward to make it difficult for our Maorik guide: she drags her daughter by the hand, she is capricious - she is tired of her “working day”. We go past the Maori cemetery behind the village. In front of the wooden houses there are square recesses, from which steam or smoke flows. These are the "plates" of the local Maori. And here is the meeting house - not a museum piece, but it also impresses with the beauty of the carved decoration. Maori emerge from it, mostly elderly women in black mourning clothes, with black kerchiefs. They greet each other by pressing their noses. Marae - the site in front of the meeting house. Maori come here with families or community groups to discuss family matters, solve tribal problems, celebrate an anniversary, or honor a guest. But today they have gathered for a funeral ceremony. When the reason for the meetings is official, the guests, upon arriving at the place, do not immediately go to the marai to join those present, but wait for an invitation and an accompanying person. Such an escort is called "pae" - step. They walk sedately in the marae. It is impossible to negotiate. Such a pause is a silent tribute to the memory of the deceased. Someone from the local lets know about its end, starting to speak. And here guests can sit on a chair, bench, mats. The guest should be prepared to respond with a few phrases appropriate to the occasion. A guest, but not a guest: custom does not allow women to speak in the marai. Until the speeches are over, it is not recommended to walk in the shed. But sports games can take place behind the meeting house, and a noisy football match can take place across the road. One of the most colorful ceremonies preserved by the Maori is the greeting of an important guest - "vero". As a tribute to tradition, this ceremony can still be played not only in the village marai, but also in the New Zealand city. In a fortified village, the call of the guard had a serious practical meaning - it was necessary to find out what the guest's intentions were, whether he came in peace or war. Over time, the simple ceremony acquired many elements until it became a whole performance: the sentry sings, notifying fellow villagers that he is awake, alert and ready to fight back if the enemies dare to attack; after which the warrior, waving a dart threateningly, approaches the visitors and puts in front of them, say, a stick, a twig, a leaf. If the newcomer picks up an object, it means that he came in peace. Then the guard, turning his back on the strangers, will lead them to the marae. And outside the meetinghouse, the Maori will perform the pokiri dance to the canoe song. Before the Europeans, the Maori had relatively advanced knowledge in medicine, hygiene and navigation, they were brave sailors, good farmers, brave warriors, were distinguished by musical and artistic abilities, and possessed undeniable technical and construction skills. Maori believe that pakeha doctors are not they name their diseases. Indeed, it often seems to us that many diseases of mao ri from superstition. The fact is that they themselves see the cause of most diseases in violations of tribal customs established by the deities in time immemorial. Recovery was attributed to a certain god who patronizes the Tohunga. It is he who is engaged in healing. The missionaries denigrated him in every possible way, equated him with a sorcerer. White doctors, as a rule, still speak of Tohunga with disdain. Therefore, Maori patients hide the fact that they visited him. Few doctors - both Maori and Pakeha - now consult with Tohunga regarding patients who do not respond to conventional treatment. Maori patients hide their bad condition by being embarrassed and feeling guilty about the illness. They do not want to disturb such an important, perhaps even sacred, person like the doctor. And they turn to doctors late, when the disease is thoroughly neglected. In general, the Maori attitude towards illness, death and their body is associated with traditional beliefs - they also provide a key to the patient's behavior. For example, Maori believe that a person will die if he offends another, that the cause of illness is a bad act, that a naked body should be shy. Therefore, many hospital procedures are torment for them. They insult their sense of shame. Even a simple examination of the patient must be preceded by long explanations from the doctor.

I must say that the appearance of a white man here did not have the best effect on the local flora and fauna. Cats and dogs brought by the colonialists, as well as numerous possums that bred like cockroaches, created a very real threat to the national symbol of New Zealand - the kiwi bird, the figurines of which remain the most popular souvenir among tourists. It turns out that New Zealand was the only place on earth where the appearance of a wingless bird was possible. She simply did not have natural enemies: snakes, spiders, large or small predators. Now everything has changed. But, one way or another, the Lake Rotorua area has always been considered one of the most favorable places in New Zealand among the Maori. Some researchers even believe that it was here that the first Polynesians settled, when they sailed to these islands in the XIV century. For life, this place, let's face it, is really ideal. The Maori settled here, even despite the intimidating name that they themselves gave to this part of the country. These lands have long been named "Holes in the underworld". This is due to volcanoes, geysers and the smell of hydrogen sulfide constantly in the air. There is no way to get rid of it, because it is bursting out from the ground in huge quantities. White wisps of smoke can appear in the most unpredictable places and also suddenly disappear. Residents of the city, as well as everyone who works in the Vakarevareva National Park, are well aware that at any moment they can be covered by the strongest volcanic eruption, as it happened once, but no one is going to leave here. Since ancient times, the Maori have used the warmth that the earth gave them. They cooked food in hot springs, and hot soil, better than any fire, allowed them to keep warm in seemingly cold huts. And today the descendants of those Maori who managed to defend their rights before the British in the 19th century are not going to leave their ancestral lands just because of the threat of a volcanic eruption. Here is the country's largest institute for the study of the cultural heritage of this Polynesian people, and, perhaps, it is the constant atmosphere of an invisible threat that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists here every year. The smell of danger can literally be felt in the air. And it smells, as we said, not in the best way. Although doctors believe that inhaling sulfur is very beneficial for the treatment of lung diseases. Maybe this is so, but we can say with full responsibility that the constant suffocating smell is somewhat annoying. Although, by and large, for the sake of acquaintance with the ancient culture of the Maori or for the sake of contemplating the magnificent thirty-meter geysers, you can tolerate a little.

Maori tribesNew Zealand ... Maori New Zealand tattoos. Mauri hakka. Photo of the Maori people.