Whakapapa

The literal meaning of whakapapa is ‘to lie flat, to place in layers one upon another’.

Māori society was based on descent and on kinship groupings. All Māori could [can] whakapapa as descendants of atua. Whakapapa determined the membership, role and individual standing within each kinship group.

“My whakapapa, the most profound yet simplistic thing about me is absolute; there is not grey matter in it.” Chris Winitana, Timatanga Hou DVD, Mauri Ora programme teaching resources, © Kina Film Productions, 2004.

Whakapapa takes up the role of legitimating the spiritual and political obligations afforded to each individual through birth. It provides them with the right to participate in tribal and family affairs, provides access to collective assets, gives right to be buried in the local urupā [cemetery], allows succession to land interests of parents and to claim membership within the hapū [sub-tribe]. In short, whakapapa is belonging. Without it an individual is outside looking in.

FREE E-BOOK: LAYER UPON LAYER, Whakapapa

Roles of Whakapapa

In the transmission of history, Richie Cribb describes the use of whakapapa in this manner. ‘There was a two tier level of knowledge – kauae runga and kauae raro. Te kauae runga or the top jaw was tapu; it was restrained, inclusive of karakia and waiata. It was ancient, accurate and perfect. Using this form, whakapapa, history, kawa and tikanga were recited. When one strand was broken, wānanga was the only way for truth to be restored’.

Land and the environment were inter-linked; they were not seen as separate but perceived as part of the whole, a source of identity, belonging and continuity, to be shared between the deceased, the living and the unborn.

Tipuna Māori recognised that they were the last to be birthed in a creation chain that was vibrant and full of life. Every object had a whakapapa, wairua and mauri which linked each to the other. The divine nature of creation meant that humankind, the youngest born, was responsible for the care and sustainability of their whanaunga, the natural world.

To disrupt, change or genetically interfere with any part of this life force would only lead to dire consequences for the substance of te ira tangata – the life force of humankind.

Introducing Yourself Using Whakapapa

When doing a mihi – a short introduction or greeting – it is important to identify who you are, where you are from and who your descendants are. This is the first process of whakawhanaungatanga:

Whaka-whanau-nga-tanga; To make connections to others via familiar association.

Who you are, is associated with who you belong to. The reason being, is that your audience is trying to connect to you from a wider perspective. If they don’t know you, they may know of your family, or the community you grew up in. In this way, you become a member of their collective, allowing any further discussion to become more personalised and intimate.

An example for a person of English descent introducing themself in this manner could be:

Ko English te iwi
Ko Ngāti Sussex te hapū
Ko Jim Morrison ahau

I am from the bones or descent lines of English people (England)
From the principle family lines of Sussex
My name is Jim Morrison (I am Jim Morrison).

Iwi describes the kinship to and from a single ancestor or literally from their bones (iwi=bones).

Hapū describes descent from a clan, cluster of families who belong to an iwi. Usually the clan or cluster identified is from the senior line of those families.

In the following clip, the speaker gives a 'extended' version of a mihi. He firstly states who his parents are (matua is father, whaea is mother) and then he introduces his mountain (maunga), his river (awa), his hapū, his iwi, his waka (the canoe - ship his iwi arrived in NZ upon) and the chief or senior descent lineage of each parent.

Pakiwaitara and Pūrākau

Every culture has its genesis, a beginning, a creation history. It is these histories that shape and give order to the world of that society. From these stories, lessons are learnt which shape a ‘world-view’ or philosophical standpoint (value and belief system).

For Māori, the recording and transmitting of social history was oral inclusive of whakapapa, whakataukī, pepeha, waiata, pakiwaitara and pūrākau (the telling of stories in metaphoric fashion).

Jayne Matenga-Kohu states ‘They [pūrākau] influenced and regulated social attitudes both publicly and privately, and gained physical expression through tikanga (customary practises)’.

Pūrākau today are often described as myths, fanciful stories consigned to the bookshelves of children however like religious symbols, myths aren’t invented; they arise from the unconscious. They use supernatural explanations for natural phenomena and cosmic issues like creation and death. They need not be historically accurate as they are designed to teach a moral lesson or esoteric truth.

The following video clips tell parts and variations of the story of Maui, whom some tribes believe, fished up New Zealand.

Pūrākau (poo-ra-cauw)

Pūrākau are usually described as stories that relate to the deeds and activities of ngā atua Māori (the gods & demi-gods of Māori), and are generally focussed on creation and pro-creation.

The word ‘pū-rākau’ gives some insight into its relationship with this era:

Te Pū: origin, source, base, foundation
Rākau: tree - a metaphor for creation is imaged as a living, breathing tree, growing over periods of time and space.

Jayne Matenga-Kohu in her descriptive of ‘time/creation’ writes:
‘The era of Te Pū established the root, the foundation. Te More, Te Weu and Te Aka followed, planting and generating the taproots, thin long rootlets and fibres. These allowed for the period of extension, expansion and growth – Te Rea. Here life gained movement.

Te Waonui issued the era of long standing time, a moment where [the] ancient forest is slowly growing. Here, creation as permanent and self-promoting moves into the time of Te Kune followed by Te Whē, the introduction of sound – tree branches creaking’.

The following periods, Te Kore and Te Pō, describe eras of sterility and barrenness where a great emptiness consumes the universe [Te Kore]. In the period of darkness and its various stages [Te Pō] creation is rejuvenated so that a season of birthing can occur. It is from this season that Papatūānuku and Te Ranginui come into being and from them their children, ngā atua tamariki – the gods of Māori creation.





Whilst today the ‘pūrākau’ of Ranginui and Papatuanuku is used as a given Māori creation narrative, it must be stressed that not all tribes from Aotearoa New Zealand believe that this is their descent path. This is but one narrative that also has variations in ‘its telling’.

Pakiwaitara (par-key-why-tar-ra)

Pakiwaitara can be used to describe stories that contain a moral within (interwoven). Unlike the transmission of whakapapa (genealogy of bloodlines, stories etc) the ‘layers’ need not be exact.

The word paki-wai-tara reinforces this viewpoint.

Wai (in this context): describes a memory or a recollection of words
Tara: describes a lack of exactness
Paki (the story): expresses what the storyteller has to say about this topic or subject.

Pakiwaitara can also be described as stories that provide accounts of local history. By that, stories that mark reference points to tribal territories, relationships with other groups (inter-marriage), kinship links and recognition of ancestors.

It is important to remember that there are variations in tribal interpretation of what pūrākau and pakiwaitara are. Some tribes will describe ‘their’ creation story as a pakiwaitara whilst others as a pūrākau.

Waiata, Songs - Songs for Hui Gatherings

Waiata (why-ar-tar) the Māori word used to describe song/s, have always featured in Māori culture. They are instrumental not only in expressing feelings or views of the singer and/or composer but also in reflecting the issues of their time; including the transmission of genealogy and history.

In hui, powhiri and or other social gatherings, waiata are used to:

• Endorse or 'kīnaki (key-nah-key)' - 'add relish' to the speakers topic
• Add the 'voices of old' sorrow to the loss of a loved one
• Recite whakapapa that enriches whanaungatanga (far-no-ng-ah-tongue-ah) links
• Remember past journeys, battles, marriages, unions and history that connect tribes, each to the other
• Express the anger, wrath or victorious slants to wrongs that were done; reminding both the listener and performer that these slights and consequences, whilst forgiven, are not forgotten
• Tell of great love stories over generations of time, in a poetic language worthy of any 'civilised culture'
• Recite paths to travel on journey's both here in the physical world and those of the after-life
  
  In short, waiata at hui melodically express every aspect, event, era and emotion of human existence!
  

This song 'Born of Greatness' was written by Hohepa Tamehana. He composed it for for the Manu-ti-oriori Show, a Māori 'Pop Idol' type programme established in 2001. For the words and more history on both the song and the composer, click here.