1. Before the Christian Church reached the shores of Aotearoa
Maori Spirituality
Before the Christian Church reached the shores of Aotearoa

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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’

7. Key terms linked with Maori Spirituality
Atua
Mana
Tane
Karakia
Tapu
Tangaroa
Mauri
Tupuna
Prayers
Ancestors
Life Force
Spiritual Guardian of the sea
Spiritual Guardian of the forest & birds
Sacred
Spiritual being or Guardian
Spiritual Power

8. Answers Atua Spiritual being or Guardian Mana Spiritual Power Tane
Karakia
Tapu
Tangaroa
Mauri
Tupuna
Spiritual being or Guardian
Spiritual Power
Spiritual Guardian of the forest & birds
Prayers
Sacred
Spiritual Guardian of the sea
Life Force
Ancestors