Maori Spiritualit

yBefore the Christian Church

reached the shores of Aotearoa

Development

• Maori Spirituality is an adaptation of the original spirituality held by the first settlers in Aotearoa about one thousand years ago

• Maori believed that all living things possessed a “Mauri” (Life-force) therefore all parts of creation are linked spiritually

Atua – Spiritual Beings

• Maori believed that different ‘Atua’ had control over different parts of creation. E.g.– Tangaroa was

responsible for the sea– Tane protected the

forests and birds

Io – The Supreme Being• Above the different ‘Atua’ Maori also believed in Io

which was greater than all other spiritual forces. They defined Io as being:– The core of all spiritual powers– The greatest of all Beings– Everlasting, not knowing death– The parent of human beings and of all things– The parentless, nothing but himself– Permanent, all enduring, complete, immovable– The source of all things– The source of all knowledge– The all-seeing– The hidden face– The totally sacred

Safeguarding their faith

• Maori had laws of ‘tapu’ which were set to keep the respect in their relationship with the ‘Atua’

• They had (and still have) many traditions regarding ‘tapu’ which include ceremonies and ‘karakia’ or prayers

• Above all they respected the ‘atua’ due to the ‘mana’ (spiritual power) they possessed

Tupuna

• Another aspect of Maori Spirituality is the way they honoured their ancestors (tupuna)

• They believed that the spirits of their ancestors lived on

• They took comfort from believed contact with their ‘tupuna’

Key terms linked with Maori Spirituality

• Atua• Mana• Tane• Karakia• Tapu• Tangaroa• Mauri• Tupuna

PrayersAncestorsLife Force

Spiritual Guardian of the seaSpiritual Guardian of the forest & birds

SacredSpiritual being or Guardian

Spiritual Power

Answers

• Atua• Mana• Tane• Karakia• Tapu• Tangaroa• Mauri• Tupuna

Spiritual being or GuardianSpiritual Power

Spiritual Guardian of the forest & birdsPrayersSacred

Spiritual Guardian of the seaLife ForceAncestors