Mātauranga Māori
Traditional Māori knowledge system encompassing all aspects of life.
Mātauranga Māori is a contemporary label for the body of knowledge developed by the Māori people of New Zealand. The term itself literally means "Māori knowledge." This knowledge system is holistic and crosses many disciplines, with ideas that often overlap. Its aims include caring for the environment, fostering economic growth, preserving Māori culture, and steadily improving the wellbeing of Māori people.
The ancestors of Māori arrived in New Zealand (Aotearoa) from other Polynesian islands around the late 13th century CE. Over time, they built a distinct culture and knowledge system, and mātauranga encompasses everything from that first settlement onward. This means it includes skills like navigating the ocean, which were shared across the wider Polynesian world. European colonisation, starting in the early 1800s, led to the loss of much mātauranga, and what survived was often heavily shaped by Christianity and other foreign influences. From the 1960s onward, mātauranga has regained importance, both within Māori communities and in broader New Zealand culture.
Only recently has the scientific community acknowledged that some parts of mātauranga are consistent with the scientific method. Before that, researchers and institutions tended to view it as purely mythological and outdated. In the 21st century, academics and government bodies frequently draw on mātauranga to tackle specific environmental problems, often partnering with iwi (tribes) using government funding.
**Etymology and meaning**
The phrase "Mātauranga Māori" became common in the 1980s after being taken up by the New Zealand government and universities. It proved useful partly because of the Treaty of Waitangi claims process, which called for protecting traditional knowledge. A related concept is Kaupapa Māori, which refers to the foundational principles of Māori thought—the guiding ideas from which mātauranga was created. The exact relationship between the two is not fixed, but they are considered distinct.
**History**
Traditionally, mātauranga was passed down through spoken language—including songs—and supplemented by carving, weaving, painting, and tattooing. After colonisation, it began to be preserved and shared in writing, first by non-Māori anthropologists and missionaries, and later by Māori themselves. When anthropologists recorded mātauranga, their own preconceptions often got in
- field
- Traditional knowledge, environmental stewardship, economic development
- nationality
- Māori, New Zealand
- known_for
- Holistic knowledge system encompassing oceanic navigation, agriculture, medicine, and environmental management
- key_concepts
- Whakapapa (genealogical connection), maramataka (lunar calendar), tohunga (traditional experts)
Lore & Background
Mātauranga was traditionally preserved through spoken language, including songs, supplemented by carving, weaving, and painting, including tattoos. Since European colonisation beginning in the early 19th century, mātauranga has been preserved and shared through writing, first by non-Māori anthropologists and missionaries, then by Māori. The Tohunga Suppression Act of 1907 made traditional healing practices illegal, contributing to the erasure of Māori knowledge, though the legislation failed at large and was repealed in 1962.
Reader's Guide
Mātauranga Māori has only recently gained recognition in the scientific community for including some knowledge consistent with the scientific method; it was previously perceived as entirely mythological lore. In the 21st century, it is often used by academics and government institutions when addressing particular environmental problems, with institutions or organisations partnering with iwi, typically with government funding. The term became popular in the 1980s after being adopted by the New Zealand Government and in tertiary education, partly due to the Treaty of Waitangi claims process. Mātauranga stresses the connection of all knowledge, with whakapapa and the Māori language considered key overarching concepts. Its influence remains strong on most Māori today, and traditional Māori science is now focused on practical problems, producing both scientific publications and concrete benefits for iwi.
Did You Know?
- Mātauranga includes distance measurements based on the time taken to travel between locations, often described in terms of days of walking or paddling.
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