The next source of mana is also largely centred on whakapapa; it is recognized as mana tūpuna (mana from your ancestors). All people are considered long decedents from the atua, however the Māori people also believed that mana could be achieved through individuals’ actions and this mana could also be passed down family generations (Patterson 1992:150). This is why mana tūpuna exists, it is power or respect gained from a persons’ more recent tūpuna (ancestors). Usually families with high mana tūpuna are those within a community or hapū, which has applied a great deal of manaaki (care for others) to everyone in their society (Duncan 2012). Mana tūpuna is deeply embedded near the top of the Māori social hierarchy, this helps certain people to uphold social control and maintain their customs, beliefs and rituals (Patterson 1992:148).
Mana whenua (mana from land), is also largely dependent on whakapapa, however, on this occasion it is more concerned with the physical world. Hapū, families and individuals can all trace their whakapapa to a particular piece of land, which they recognize as their ‘home’ as it is where their tūpuna originated from (Duncan 2012). The status of a land depends on its importance over history, a location that is wāhi tapu (area of significance), would generate more mana for its people than ordinary land (Patterson 1992:148). The people that have rights or responsibilities to the land gain mana from it (Ka’ai & Higgins 2004:14). The whenua (land) is a very important component to Māori culture due to their tikanga (way of doing things), which incorporates the whenua as what gives nourishment while alive (Durie 1998:117).
The final and most common supply of mana is mana tāngata (mana from the people). This mana is attained through a person’s individual actions which allow him or her to receive mana from the atua as a reward (Bowden 2003:54). It is determined by the perspective that others have of the person and it fluctuates constantly (Duncan 2012). A person’s mana tāngata increases when they accomplish a certain task, or act for the benefit of others instead of their own; this person’s actions are recognised and he or she becomes more popular in the eyes of their peers. However, the mana tāngata can go the other way if a person fails to complete a task, acts foolishly, or creates a problem for their hapū or whānau (extended family) (Durie 1998:92).
As identified previously, mana is much more than just a social hierarchy, it is ingrained in almost every Māori ritual, ceremony and institution. The powhiri is just one of the many processes that have a powerful relationship with mana. The powhiri occurs on a marae; it is a very traditional ceremony which involves the tangata whenua (people of the land) and the manuhiri (visitors). The powhiri is used for many purposes, but ultimately it is used to welcome visitors and to discover the purpose of their visit (Ka’ai & Higgins 2004:15). The process may consist of nine separate customs. However, this differs depending on the hapū that belongs to the marae as the kawa (protocol) is decided by them (Duncan 2012).
The karanga (call between women) is one of these process which best displays the relationship between the powhiri and mana. On many occasions the karanaga starts the powhiri; the women from the tangata whenua call out first and then the women from the manuhiri will respond as they walk onto the marae (Metge 1976: *63). Mana is clearly evident through the expression of mana whaine (power of women). This is of significance because the powhiri will not begin without the karanga, and it displays the mana that Māori women have (due to their birth giving abilities) (Ka’ai & Higgins 2004:77).
The Māori culture is one of the few cultures that believe the spiritual world and physical world are intermingled and because of this, their way of life is based on beautiful concepts which, if followed, ensure a harmonious life. Mana in all its different facets, is a vital component in this system as it exhibits respect towards others, acknowledges those that care for their community, and most importantly it retains the memory of ancestors and what they achieved. The powhiri is also an important ritual, both in traditional and contemporary times, as it ultimately symbolises Māori tradition, and is the gateway to many important ceremonies such as the Tangihanga (funeral). The two phenomena are closely linked in many ways, as was demonstrated through the example of the karanga.
Word Count (including translations): 1090
References
Bowden, R. (2003), ‘Tapu and Mana: ritual authority and political power in traditional Maori Society’, The Journal of Pacific History, vol.38, no.1, pp. 50-61.
Duncan, S. (2012), Cultural Concepts and Māori world view – Part 1, MAORI 102: Māori society, Dunedin: University of Otago.
Durie, M.H. (1998), Te Mana, Te Kāwanatanga: The politics of Māori Self Determination, Victoria: Oxford University Press.
Ka’ai, T.M. & Higgins, R. (2004), ‘Te ao Māori: Māori Worldview’. In: Ka’ai, T.M., Moorfield, J.C., Reilly, M.P.J. & Mosley, S. (eds) Ki te Whaiao: An Introduction to Māori Culture and Society, Auckland: Pearson Education, pp. 13-25.
Metge, J. (1976), The Maoris of New Zealand: Rautahi, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Patterson, J. (1992), Exploring Maori Values, Palmerston North: Dunmore Press Ltd.