Introduction:
The Living Legacy of Maori Bone Carving
Maori bone carving, called whakairo, is much more than just beautiful art. For centuries, it has been a crucial way for Maori people to preserve their beliefs, stories, and identity.
Since there was no written language in traditional Maori society, carvings were how knowledge was stored and passed down through generations.
These intricate designs weren't just pictures; they held complex stories and family histories that required special understanding to interpret. This shows how important these art forms are to keeping indigenous knowledge alive.
Maori carving has a long history, arriving in New Zealand with ancestors around 1100 A.D.. Over time, these early styles changed and became the unique Maori classic style by about 1500, continuing to develop for centuries. This shows that Maori carving is a living, changing art form, not something stuck in the past.
Two key ideas in Maori belief, mana and taonga, are central to these carvings. Carvings are highly valued as precious treasures, or taonga, filled with deep meaning. Mana is a spiritual concept that includes prestige, power, and authority. Carvings are believed to hold and even transfer this power, linking living people to their ancestors.
The Essence of Being:
Mana, Mauri, and Carvings as Taonga
The spiritual idea of mana is a core part of Maori belief and is strongly present in bone carvings. Mana means power and prestige, and it can be transferred to and gathered within artworks, especially those connected to respected leaders. For example, the toki poutangata (ceremonial adze) wasn't just a tool; it showed a chief's power and mana. The power of hei-tiki pendants, for instance, grew stronger with each generation that owned them.
Beyond mana, the concept of mauri—the life force found in all living things—is also very important to these carvings.
A unique aspect of Maori bone carvings is the belief that they absorb the wearer's spirit over time.
This spiritual connection is even visible: when worn against the skin, the bone slowly changes color to a soft honey-gold. This physical change isn't just chemical; it shows a deep, active spiritual exchange, turning the carving into a living object and a personal record of someone's journey and family line. This makes the carving an extension of the person's mauri and identity.
Because of this spiritual absorption, carvings become taonga, precious treasures that hold the spirits of those who have worn them and are often passed down through families, carrying the spirits of ancestors. Old family carvings are respected as if they were family members themselves.
When a carving is worn with respect or given and received with love, it's believed to absorb a part of the spirit of those who wear or handle it, becoming a spiritual link across time.
This practice of passing them down through generations directly shows whakapapa (genealogy) and the "unbroken thread" connecting past, present, and future.
Taonga are anything highly valued, including objects, resources, ideas, and skills that have social or cultural importance. They contain and transfer mātauranga (Maori knowledge) and provide a real connection with tīpuna (ancestors).
From Bone to Legacy:
Creation, Rituals, and the Journey of a Carving
Creating Maori bone carvings is a careful and deeply spiritual process, based on centuries of tradition. Historically, they were mostly made from whalebone or pounamu (New Zealand greenstone/jade). Whalebone is highly valued for its beauty, cultural meaning, and rarity. Cow bone and deer bone are also used today. Pounamu is valued for its beauty, toughness, and hardness.
Traditional tools were stone or greenstone adzes and chisels. When Europeans arrived, metal tools allowed for more detailed carvings. The entire carving process requires great patience, skill, and a deep understanding of Maori culture.
Gifting and wearing Maori carvings is deeply rooted in cultural practice. Carvings were worn for decoration, identification, protection, and as awards. Gifting pounamu and bone carvings has been a cherished tradition for centuries and continues today, often marking important life events or showing love and respect.
While it was once thought taonga should only be gifted, it's now understood that buying a carving for oneself is fine, especially if there's a personal connection.
Wearing a bone carving contributes to its spiritual meaning. As the bone absorbs natural oils from the skin, it slowly turns a soft honey-gold, symbolizing the absorption of the wearer's spirit. If a pounamu carving breaks, its mauri (life force) is believed to stay intact, so it can be reused or repaired by the original carver. Maori cultural practices are not fixed; they are dynamic and adapt while keeping their core values and spiritual connections.
Guardians of Lore:
Decoding Key Maori Bone Carving Designs
Maori bone carvings are full of rich symbolism and stories. Each design is like a visual language that connects the wearer to ancestral knowledge, spiritual beliefs, and nature. The way mythology, function, and symbolism are linked is a key feature of these designs. For example, the Hei Matau's use in fishing is connected to its origin in Maui's creation story.
It's important to remember that design meanings can change slightly depending on the region. While main themes are shared, their specific interpretations can vary between iwi (tribes). This means there isn't always just one "correct" meaning, but a rich variety of local cultural expressions.
Each design acts as a condensed story or a visual representation of a key concept in Maori beliefs.
Carvings are not just symbols; they actively tell stories and pass on knowledge, working like a non-written language where the form itself carries layers of meaning.
Hei Matau (Fish Hook)
The Hei Matau is a stylized fish hook carving. It symbolizes prosperity, life, and well-being. It's also believed to bring safety when traveling on water, and represents strength, courage, and determination. Its origins are famously linked to the great mariner Māui, who legend says fished up the North Island of New Zealand using a hook made from his grandmother's jawbone. Historically, fishhooks were made from bone, ivory, shell, wood, or pounamu and often became treasured family heirlooms.
Koru (Spiral)
The Koru, meaning 'loop' or 'coil', is a spiral shape inspired by the unfurling silver fern frond. This important symbol represents the cycle of life, new beginnings, and fresh starts. Its circular shape shows continuous movement, while the inward coil suggests returning to the origin, symbolizing how life changes but stays constant. It also means harmony, peace, growth, and awakening. When Koru interlock, they can represent strong family relationships. The Koru is a fundamental part of Maori art, carving, and tattooing. Gifting a Koru pendant is common for life milestones like graduations or new births.
Manaia
The Manaia is a mythological creature in Maori carving, believed to be a messenger between the human world and the spirit world. It's a powerful protector against evil and symbolizes the balance between heaven, earth, and sea. It's typically shown with a bird's head, a man's body, and a fish's tail. Its bird-like head shows its ability to move between heaven and earth, reinforcing its role as a bridge between worlds and a carrier of messages to gods and ancestors. Historically, the Manaia was a common motif in carvings and jewelry, and is still gifted for protection.
Hei Tiki
The Hei Tiki is an ornamental pendant, usually made of pounamu. It's a good luck charm and symbolizes ancestral pride, wisdom, and character. Its common depiction with hands on the loins is a strong fertility symbol. In Maori mythology, some link its origin to Tiki, the first man, or Hineteiwaiwa, the goddess of childbirth. Historically, Hei Tiki were passed down through generations, increasing their mana. Today, it remains a deep cultural symbol and a link to ancestors.
Toki (Adze)
The Toki, or adze, is a carving that means strength, power, courage, determination, and authority. This comes from its traditional use as a vital everyday tool. Historically, the Toki was made from pounamu and used to fell trees, hollow out canoes (waka), and build houses. The ceremonial toki poutangata was carried by chiefs to show their authority and mana. Its mythological origins are powerful: the legendary toki Te Āwhiorangi was used by the god Tāne to separate the sky father and earth mother, creating the world. Today, the Toki is widely worn as a pendant, continuing to symbolize strength and courage.
Pekapeka (Bat)
The Pekapeka, representing New Zealand's native bats, is an ancient carved form with important spiritual meaning. It's believed to symbolize spiritual protection and guardianship, acting as a link between the spirit world and the living world. Maori folklore sometimes links Pekapeka to darker meanings, associating them with the mythical hokioi bird that foretells death. They are also called the pets of Hine-nui-te-pō, the goddess of the night. Historically, Pekapeka designs were included in carvings, often as twin manaia.
Conclusion:
Honoring the Ancestors, Embracing the Future
Maori bone carvings are powerful reminders of a rich cultural heritage. They are living links to the past, carrying the stories, beliefs, and spirit of the Maori people. These carvings are more than just pretty objects; they are taonga (treasures) that hold mana (spiritual power) and mauri (life force), connecting generations. The intricate designs, like the life-affirming Koru and the protective Manaia, act as a non-written language, sharing complex stories and showing a worldview where everyday use, myths, and sacred meaning are all woven together.