1990 Heritage Set 6 - The Maori People.

Back to Set 5 - The Achievers.          Heritage Series Overview.

        This issue is the final in the six part series leading up to the 1990 150th Anniversary of New Zealand. The six stamps each depict a different aspect of Maori culture shown through story-telling, craft-work, and song or dance.
        Many hundreds of years ago, ancestors of the Maori are believed to have sailed from the west - to settle in the Pacific Islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.  A few hundred years later, their descendants settled the Marquesas and Cook Islands - what is now known as Hawaiki, or the homeland of the New Zealand Maori.  It was from here, around 800AD, that the first canoes ventured south to Aotearoa (New Zealand).
        As well as introducing the dog, the rat and edible plants to this land, these settlers also brought with them their Polynesian cultural heritage - which has developed over time to become the Maori culture as we know it today.

For an index on stamps relating to Maori see New Zealand Maori.

         When I knew I was going to write about this issue I asked a friend of mine to accompany me to the Auckland Museum. We spent a few hours viewing the Maori section of the museum. We looked at carvings, tools, weapons, and feather cloaks and discussed their meanings and importance. She told me how spiritual side was very important in many aspects of Maori culture, something I hadn't realised before. This is also true in the stamps of this issue too.

40c - Ranginui raua ko Papatuanuku 

The Legend of Rangi and Papa.

          As with many stories born from ancient folklore, there are different variations of the story of Papatūānuku and Ranginui. A widely known account tells that Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, loved each other dearly and embraced so tightly that their sons were stuck in the darkness between them. Their sons decided to separate them so they could live in the light, and their son Tāne, god of humankind and forest life, pushed with all his might to force them apart. Ranginui was sent to live in the sky and Papatūānuku was sent below to live as the earth, creating Te Ao Mārama, the world of light between.

(See my post - 2014 Matariki - Papatūānuku and Ranginui.)

  

50c - Kahu - huruhuru - Maori Feather Cloak.

        The Maori name for Maori feathered cloaks is "kahu huruhuru" but most people use the word "korowai" to describe Maori feathered cloaks, so that is what we will use here.
        In pre-European times, cloaks were mostly made from flax fibre (muka), which had been washed, bleached and then softened.  The fibres would then be rolled together into a long yarn, and then hand woven between two pegs driven into the ground. In the late 19th century, bird feathers began to be woven into the flax backing, until eventually cloaks were made that were completely covered with feathers.  The most prized feathers were from the huia and kiwi, especially the rare white albino kiwi. 
        Sometimes the cloak would be fringed with taniko weaving, or white kiwi feathers.  More colourful cloaks were made from the feathers of the wood pigeon ( white feathers from the breast, green from the back), kaka or native parrot ( red feathers), and tui (blue-black feathers).
        Of the few old cloaks that still remain, most are housed in museums.  Those in private hands are highly valued. I recently had the chance to see one, held by a iwi (Maori tribe) from south of Auckland. In this case it was being used at a funeral to honour the death of a loved one.

See our post - 1996 Maori Crafts.

  

60c - Waiata - Song.

        Waiata or songs and chants are an important part of Māori culture. The words and expressions preserve the wisdom and knowledge of ancestors.

        There are many forms of waiata used for different purposes including oriori (lullabies), waiata tangi (laments), waiata aroha (songs of love), ngeri (a type of chant), manawawera (a form of challenge) and waiata poi (poi songs). When performing a waiata, it is important to choose a song appropriate for the occasion. Waiata are often performed at the end of whaikōrero (speeches) to support what has been said. They can also be sung to remove tapu (restrictions) or to engage, entertain, calm, or comfort the listener.
        Traditionally, waiata were always performed in unison with very few actions and with no musical instruments or choreography. While this is still the case today, contemporary waiata are commonly sung with accompaniment, include harmony, and are performed with complicated actions and choreography. Different iwi (tribes) often have their own waiata, with many composed centuries ago. However, there are a lot of waiata that are now generally accepted as common property. This often happens when a waiata has an appealing tune or the lyrics express the sentiments of a tribe so well that it is taken over by others.

See our post - 2011 Kapa Haka.

80c - Moko - Maori Tattoo.

         Moko is a name for Māori tattoo and the culture that surrounds it. It is the skin art form of the Māori. 'Tattoo' is the English version of the Tahitian word tatu. Tattoo is the tradition of marking the skin with ink and needles, whereas moko is the practice of scarring and marking the skin to reflect the whakapapa (genealogy) of the Māori wearer.

          Moko can be seen as a cultural affirmation. It can be applied to the face and body. In men the moko could cover the whole face. The patterns on each area of the face communicated specific things, such as social standing, and family history. All symbols have meaning, usually a tribal link that tells the background and stories of the wearer. Moko can be considered a visual language that connects the wearer to their whakapapa.

$1.00 - Tau ihu - War Canoe Prow.

          Toi whakairo (art carving) or just whakairo (carving) is a Māori traditional art of carving in wood, stone or bone. Wood was formed into houses, canoes, fencepoles, containers, taiaha and tool handles. Stone, preferably the very hard pounamu (greenstone), was the chief material for tools of many kinds. Bone was used for fish hooks, needles etc. Following the introduction of metal tools there was a substantial increase in decorative ornamentation, particularly in wood and bone carving.

          This carved bow piece of a Maori war canoe is a superb example of the degree of intricacy and finish these craftsmen could achieve - despite the crudity of their tools.  The main focus of this stamp is on the pitau or spiral element of the canoe prow.

$1.50 - Haka - Maori War Dance.

          A haka (plural is the same as singular: haka) is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.
          War haka were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition, but haka are also performed for various reasons: for welcoming distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements, occasions or funerals, and kapa haka performance groups are very common in schools.
          New Zealand sports teams practice of performing a haka before their international matches has made the dance more widely known around the world. This tradition began with the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team tour and has been carried on by the All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team, since 1905.

See our post - 2011 Kapa Haka.

Printing Error.

1990 Maori Heritage 40c, an error where the Violet/Blue colour has mean omitted. It is most noticeable by the fact that the face value has also been omitted.



Technical information.

Date of Issue:	24 August, 1990.
Designers:	K Hall, Christchurch.
Printers:	Leigh-Mardon, Australia.
Stamp Size:	40mm x 28mm.
Sheet Size:	100 stamps per sheet.
Process:	Lithography.
Perforation Gauge:	14 x 14.25.
Paper Type:	Coated Papers, red phosphor coated, unwatermarked.

Back to Set 5 - The Achievers.          Heritage Series Overview.

Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ

You can visit their web site and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/