2006 Kapa Haka - Maori Performing Arts (Withdrawn Issue)

       To tell you the truth, I struggled with the idea of doing a post on this issue. The other writers tell me I am the blog owner but when it comes to decisions like this I usually get out voted. They said this issue is on the NZ Post website, it's on the Stamps NZ website so it should be on ours too. Since I do all the issues with Maori themes, I've got the job.
       The story goes that certain Maori groups were horrified when they saw these stamps and complained to NZ Post. The issue was rejected just before it was issued. All stock already sent out to postal outlets was recovered and returned for destruction so that should have been the end of the story. But it wasn't as some were sent out to 8 customers before the issue date. In spite of attempts to have these returned, some, as listed below never were. 

Generally, I like the great job that has been done over the years regarding our postage stamps. I am proud to see them representing New Zealand as they do. But this set? Guys, what were you thinking? I think I could except most of the designs but those faces! I know the intention might have been not to show any particular person and I suppose it could be argued that in this they succeeded. But they look so ugly, the worse being the woman on the $1.35 value. Ok, I've had my little rave, let's get on and review them now. 

For other posts with Maori themes - New Zealand Maori Index.

2018 Maui and the Fish

Maui and the Fish - Te Ika-a-Maui.

       The first time I can remember hearing this story was on the Sunday Children Request show, on the radio station, 1ZB. This and How the Kiwi Lost His Wings became favourites of mine when they appeared on the show. These days, of course, television has taken over children's entertainment on a Sunday morning. 
        So being born in New Zealand, I grew up with many of these stories but being a Pakaha (White European), I didn't have much contact with Maori mythology once I became an adult. When I began this blog I soon discovered there were many stamp issues with Maori Mythology themes. Since then, the richness and complexity of the Maori culture became a source of fascination and intrigue.  

         New Zealand has issued two other stamps telling the story of Maui and the Fish. These can be found below, at the bottom of this post, or via links from our index page New Zealand Maori.


NZ Post describes this issue:- 
        Māui and the Fish - Te Ika-a-Māui is one of many tales of the mischievous demigod chronicled for centuries across Pacific cultures. Despite the considerable distance between islands such as Hawaii, Tonga and even New Zealand, the similarities between many of the legends are uncanny.
        Many versions of this story exist as it has been passed from generation to generation. We present this story with words by Louis Armstrong, Cultural Education Lead for the iwi of Raukawa in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa.

        Since, I do not understand much te reo Maori, when I came to layout this page I debated as to whether I should include the Maori versions captions of this story under each stamp as they appeared on the NZ Post website. Finally, I decided the value of adding the story in two languages was worth doing. 

2008 150th Anniversary of Kingitanga

150th Anniversary of the Maori King Movement.

For other stamps with Maori themes see our New Zealand Maori.

Faith, Love & Law.

         The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some Māori tribes in the 1850s to establish a symbolic role similar in status to that of the monarch of the British colonists. The position of a Māori monarch is a non-constitutional role with no legal power but it is a symbolic role of great prestige (mana). Since the 1850s the role has been vested in the Tainui iwi (tribe), centred in the Waikato region, who agreed to guard the position when it was created. The current Māori monarch, Tuheitia Paki, is descended from the first Māori king, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, and was elected in 2006. His official residence is Turongo House at Turangawaewae Marae in the town of Ngaruawahia.
         Since it was established, the Kīngitanga movement and influence has expanded and now is recognised and respected by Māori in many parts of New Zealand today. Some iwi such the Ngapuhi iwi of Northland are strongly against the Maori king movement and find the use of the name "Maori King" offensive.
        While the Maori King has no direct connection with the New Zealand Government regarding the legal decision-making process, he/she is often consulted and advice taken on matters concerning Maori. It is also usual, but a tradition of respect rather than set in law, that the British monarch and the Maori monarch will meet if they are in the same country.          
         The position of Māori monarch is not hereditary in principle. The monarch is appointed by the leaders of the tribes involved in the Kīngitanga movement on the day of the previous monarch’s funeral and before the burial. However, to date, all Māori monarchs have been direct descendants of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori king, and each monarch has been succeeded by a son or daughter. 
         This position has been held by Pōtatau, Māori King (1856 – 1860); Tāwhiao, Māori King (1860 – 1894); Mahuta, Māori King (1894 – 1912); Te Rata, Māori King (1912 – 1933); Korokī, Māori King (1933 – 1966); Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Māori Queen (1966 – 2006); Tuheitia Paki, Māori King (2006 – ).

1996 Maori Crafts

        The first Māori people brought their art and crafts with them from their ancient homeland in Polynesia when they migrated to New Zealand more than 1000 years ago. In their new, remote home in the South Pacific, away from outside influences and with different materials, they developed these craft over successive generations. Wood carving was the primary art form but it was just one of the Māori's cultural accomplishments. Māori art ranged from carving meeting houses and other buildings, war canoes and weapons - to creating clothing and personal ornaments such as burial chests, musical instruments, treasure boxes, marvellous cloaks and skirts.

        Almost nothing that the Māori made was without decoration of some sort. They used a wide variety of materials, from readily available and workable timber, flax, bone and whale-bone ivory to the less tractable greenstone, argillite and basalt. They practised and experimented with a range of styles from formalisation through impressionism to the near-abstract. Generally speaking, Māori art was and still is, largely a question of shape and design rather than colour. Traditional Māori arts flourish today although new materials, tools and international influences have introduced an added new dimension to traditional design.

For other issues on Maori see our Maori Page & Index.

2017 Te Reo Maori - Maori Language.

       Now, this issue went in a direction I did not expect. Recently I did a post on te reo Maori (Maori Language) 1995 Maori Language. In that post, we looked at six different ways te reo Maori was used, all of which were in more formal or traditional ways. Another post I did earlier this year was on the 2011 Kapa Haka issue. While this stamp issue featured Maori performing arts, te reo Maori is an important part of that. Both issues are well worth a look and along with all my other posts on Maori subjects can be found via our New Zealand Maori index.

       We live in a changing world, English, my mother tongue, is changing to be used in different ways with new words coming into general use all the time. In the same way, if te reo Maori is to remain relevant, it needs to change and evolve to deal with a modern and changing world. 

       Which brings us to this issue. 10 stamps showing te reo Maori being used in ways that would not have been imagined only a few years ago. In this issue, the examples have mainly come from computers and electronic communications. Notice how many of these new words are descriptive in nature. This is consistent with te reo Maori where many traditional words were descriptions of objects or ideas too. I've followed with the captions the NZ Post used as they explain each stamp better than I could but while doing this post I've come to view te reo Maori in a different and more positive way.

1995 Maori Language

Ko te Reo te Mauri o te Mana Maori. 

The language is the life force of being Maori.

For other posts on Maori see our index New Zealand Maori 

Today, 1st August 2017, marks 30 years since Maori has been recognised

as being an official language of New Zealand.

The Maori language came to New Zealand with the Polynesian migrations around 1000 years ago. Since then, it has developed independently of other Polynesian tongues to become the Maori of today. According to a 2001 survey on the health of the Māori language, the number of very fluent adult speakers was about 9% of the Māori population, or approx. 30,000 adults. A national census undertaken in 2006 says that about 4% of the New Zealand population, or 23.7% of the Māori population, could hold a conversation in Māori about everyday things. Today that number has continued to grow with 60,000 speakers in 2009 and 150,000 by 2013.

As Maori is not spoken widely anywhere else in the world, it provides New Zealand with a unique language identity. For that reason, and for the important role it has to play as a positive social force in the Maori community, its survival is seen as vital. This was recognised with The Maori Language Act 1987, which declared it to be an official language of New Zealand. Another important step was taken in making 1995 Maori Language Year - Te Tau O Te Reo Maori, which was celebrated with this stamp issue.

1987 Fibre Arts

 
      This issue features a Maori view of the use of natural fibre is the subject of this four stamp issue, designed by Nga Puna Waihanga (an organisation of Maori artists, writers and designers). The designs featured on these stamps are graphic representations that embrace broad concepts of the working of fibre such as knotting, binding and plaiting.

       To the Maori people, indigenous fibres had qualities embracing all aspects of living as well as providing a medium for art and craft.  Cultivation, harvesting and preparation methods and rituals were carefully adhered to by Maori people and reflected the extent to which they depended on fibre products for trapping, snaring, cooking, storage, building, clothing and other utilitarian purposes. Today, Maori weaving and crafts have taken on the new purpose of an art form and training medium for young people.

All my other posts on Maori subjects can be found via our New Zealand Maori index.

2011 Kapa Haka

Also see our index New Zealand Maori  

From the graceful movements of the Poi to the overwhelming power of the Haka, Kapa Haka (traditional Maori performing arts) is intrinsic to New Zealand’s cultural identity. Distinctive from other indigenous performing arts, Kapa Haka combines song, dance, expression and movement.

1998 The Statue of Wairaka

       Back in June, when Kim was working on her post, 1998 - 1999 Scenic Stamps, she came across a stamp featuring the Statue of Wairaka found mounted on a large rock at the mouth of the Whakatane River (harbour). At that time I provided her with a short version of the story of Wairaka but now I wish to explore this story in greater detail along with better photographs of her statue that can be barely seen on the stamp.

$1.50 - Wairaka at Sunset, Whakatane.

(1998 Scenic Issue)

A seldom-seen perspective, by Cam Feast, of the statue of Wairaka which stands on top of one of the rocks at the channel entrance of Whakatane Harbour (river) in the Bay of Plenty.

2011 Matariki - Fish Hooks

Matariki - Hei Matau (Fish Hooks)
        The appearance of the star cluster known as Matariki is a time to celebrate New Zealand's unique history and place in the world. New Zealand Post marked the start of the Māori New Year with it's Matariki 2011 - Hei Matau stamp issue.
        Meaning 'fish hook', matau are traditionally an important aspect of Māori life, providing Māori with the means to catch their kai moana or 'food from the sea'. Many fishermen had their own 'lucky' fish hook, which they would wear around their necks (hei matau) for safe keeping.
        Today hei matau are used less for catching fish and more for catching someone's eye when worn as pendants. They remain a cultural treasure (taonga) and have an important link to the origins of Aotearoa, New Zealand. According to Māori legend, New Zealand's North Island was once a giant fish that was caught by the half-god and seafarer Māui, using a woven line and his magic bone matau.
        Hei matau have a strong connection to Tangaroa, god of the sea, and as such the stamps in this issue feature the commonly stylised element of the sea. Meaning 'the fish hook of Māui', the phrase 'Te matau o Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga' has also been incorporated into the design.

2010 Matariki - Maori Kites.

Matariki - Manu Tukutuku (Traditional Maori Kites)

       In this post, we feature another of the lesser known crafts of Maori, the making of Maori kites. This issue included only have four values, a miniature sheet and the usual two First Day Covers. Kites were made and flown by both Maori adults and children. As is shown in the stamps below they were made out of many materials and came in a variety of styles or shapes.

See our Matariki Collection.                       See our Index - New Zealand Maori.

50c – Manu Aute

Maori made many of their kites in the shape of birds (manu), reflecting their belief that this was how a person’s soul or spirit was made manifest. ‘Manu aute’ was one of the largest birdlike kites, and the one featured on our 50 cent stamp is the oldest of all surviving specimens.

2012 Matariki - Maori Rock Art.

          Māori rock art is not as well known as Maori wood carving but examples can be found throughout the country. The stamps in this issue depict examples of rock art documented in Te Waipounamu (the South Island) where more than 500 sites have been recorded to date.

           Rock art is applied to a variety of stone types, and while the common perception is that rock art was created using a burnt stick, the majority of the ‘drawings’ in Te Waipounamu appear to have been applied as pigment in solution. The style of Māori rock art is similar to that from wider Polynesia, suggesting that it was a practice brought to New Zealand by its earliest people.

           Māori rock art gives a glimpse of New Zealand’s history and culture, and the drawings included on the six self-adhesive stamps in this issue portray animals now long extinct, representations of everyday life and depictions of the supernatural.

          The rauru (spiral design) on the stamps pays respect to Rangi and Papa, and the light and knowledge that came about from their separation. The colours used in the rauru reflect the land and environment, and the koru represent growth and life and pay respect to the past, present and future.

2013 Matariki - The Koru.

         When the star cluster known as Matariki appears in the night sky it signals the Maori New Year and a time of new beginnings. The Matariki 2013 stamp issue celebrates the koru - a pattern symbolising new life and regeneration.

          Matariki is a significant event for Māori and is widely acknowledged to signal a change of seasons. In traditional Māori society, Matariki was believed to foretell whether the year ahead would be plentiful. It was also a time of festivity when communities would come together to reflect on the past and look ahead to new beginnings.

          The message of new beginnings is represented in the koru pattern, which is derived from an unfurling silver fern frond. Each of the six self-adhesive stamps in this issue incorporates the koru pattern along with aspects of traditional Māori culture that have particular significance during the time of Matariki.

2008 Matariki - Maori Culture.

         For the Māori people, the night skies in June traditionally have huge significance: they herald the dawn of a new Māori year. In te reo Maori, yhe Māori language, Matariki is the name of the Pleiades star cluster, in the constellation of Taurus the Bull.  In traditional times, Matariki was a season to celebrate new beginnings and was important for agriculture in establishing the correct time to plant crops. It was also a good time to instruct young people in the lore of the land and the forest as being the colder months much more time was spent indoors. The constellation is also believed to have been used by navigators. See our post -  2007 Southern Skies. 

         The first rising of the Pleiades and of Rigel (Puanga in Māori) occurs just prior to sunrise in late May or early June, and this indicates that the old year has ended and the new year has begun. The annual appearance of the seven stars of ‘Matariki’ (or the Pleiades star cluster) signals a time for renewal, reflection and celebration!
         The actual time for celebrating Matariki varies depending on the iwi (tribe). It has become common practice for various private and public institutions to celebrate Matariki over the period of a week or month anywhere from early June to late July.

         This is the first in a series of annual Matariki stamp issues, exploring different aspects of Maori culture and heritage. In this first issue we take a fascinating journey through Maori history and culture. We celebrated not only the constellation itself but also connections that the Maori spiritual world has to the sea, to the land and to family (whānau). We also learn about the Maori worldview in which the gods, Sky Father Ranginui, Earth Mother Papatūānuku and their children, personify the dramatic forces of nature.

See our Matariki Collection.                      See our Index - New Zealand Maori.

Maori Definitive Stamps

       As Mary and Allan have worked their way through the major issues of pictorial definitive stamps, they have come across many with Maori themes. This page is another of my thematic collections, gathering all these Maori stamps together in one place so they can be linked into our other collections of Maori stamps.
       I do not claim to have any knowledge of things Maori, my task is just to gather these stamps together so they can be viewed and enjoyed. Any information concerning these stamps has been provided by Allan or copied from his other pages in this blog.

Return to New Zealand Maori Index.

1898 Pictorials.

1898 The First Pictorial Issue.

8d - Maori War Canoe.

The 8d stamp contains a graphic eight with a Maori war canoe on the lower circle of the eight and a crown in the upper circle. Tree Ferns are drawn to the left of the eight and Cabbage Trees on the right.

Captain Cook Stamps of New Zealand.

A collection of New Zealand stamps and postmarks associated with Captain Cook. This page should be considered as an ongoing project as new items could be added as we discover them.

1906 Christchurch Exhibition.

1906  Christchurch Exhibition.

3d - Captain Cook's Landing.

The dual colour three penny stamp depicts the landing of Captain Cook. on his first voyage to New Zealand; at Poverty Bay on the east coast of the North Island on the 7th of October 1769. This first meeting led to the deaths of six local Maori during skirmishes with the crew, due to a misinterpretation of the traditional Maori challenge. Cook was unable to gain many of the provisions he and his crew needed at the bay, and for this reason, gave it its name.

Chatham Islands

        This post was originally intended to show two stamp issues that were issued with subjects concerning the Chatham Islands and the Moriori. We have added extra stamps from other issues featuring these same subjects so now we changed this post to the status of a thematic collection.

         The first European to discover the islands in 1791 was Lieutenant William Broughton who named them after the ship in which he was sailing to Tahiti. On 29 November 1791 Lieutenant William Broughton's storm driven brig 'Chatham' anchored off a large, unchartered island some 870 kilometres east of New Zealand. The long isolation of the island inhabitants, the Moriori, was over.

         The Chatham Islands group, which consists of Chatham and Pitt Islands and some smaller islands, lies 422 miles south-east of Wellington. Chatham is the largest of the islands (about 222,500 acres) and its chief settlement is Waitangi. The smaller Pitt Island has an area of approximately 15,300 acres. Almost a quarter of the main island is covered by shallow lagoons, the largest of them called Te Whanga. The land carries predominantly fern and pasture with some karaka and nikau palms.

1970 Chatham Islands.

All though it was never mentioned by the Post Office, this issue marked 180years since the

islands were discovered by Lieutenant William Broughton in 1791.

           

          1c - Chatham Islands Lily.                               2c - Chatham Islands Mollymawk.

1967 - 1968 Decimal Pictorials - Part Five

 Definitive Tour.

Back to 1960 - 1966 Pictorial Definitives.                                Forward to 1970 Decimal Pictorials.

        1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part One.

                    An overview of this definitive issue with First Day Covers.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Two.

                    Various extra issues that appeared over the next two years.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Three.

                    The information on the designs/subjects of each stamp in more detail.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Four.

                    Flaws and errors in the lower values.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Five.

                    Flaws and errors in the higher values.

         This is the second page of flaws found in the Decimal Pictorials. Again we see a variety of errors from colour and perferation shifts to paper creasing and large strange blobs of ink. I personally like the example you see below of a major green shift in the 15c Tiki.

1967 - 1968 Decimal Pictorials - Part Four.

 Definitive Tour.

Back to 1960 - 1966 Pictorial Definitives.                                Forward to 1970 Decimal Pictorials.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part One.
                    An overview of this definitive issue with First Day Covers.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Two.
                    Various extra issues that appeared over the next two years.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Three.
                    The information on the designs/subjects of each stamp in more detail.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Four.
                    Flaws and errors in the lower values.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Five.
                    Flaws and errors in the higher values.

      Now we get to some of the errors found in this definitive issue. In this post we will be looking at the low values, the native flower stamps. While we have a good collection here I do believe there are many flaws from these values that we have missed. Therefore I suggest that it might be worth check back on this page from time to time to view any new items.

½c - Manuka.

1967 Pictorial ½c selv pair and a selvage block both with the same grossly misplaced perforations.

1967 - 1968 Decimal Pictorials - Part Three.

 Definitive Tour.

Back to 1960 - 1966 Pictorial Definitives.                                Forward to 1970 Decimal Pictorials.

         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part One.
                    An overview of this definitive issue with First Day Covers.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Two.
                    Various extra issues that appeared over the next two years.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Three.
                    The information on the designs/subjects of each stamp in more detail.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Four.
                    Flaws and errors in the lower values.
         1967 - 1968  Decimal Pictorials - Part Five.
                    Flaws and errors in the higher values.

1960 - 1967 Designs in Detail.

This third part will show each of the stamps again but now arranged by their value rather than as in Parts One & Two by their issue date. Our purpose here is to consider the design and subject of each stamp. (Since most of these designs are common with the 1960 Pictorials my design notes are the same as well).

1967 Decimal Pictorials.

                

½c - Manuka.                                         1c - Karaka.