Iwi: New Zealand's Big Family Groups!

Imagine a super-duper big family! That's kind of like an iwi in New Zealand. Iwi are the biggest groups of Māori people.

The word 'iwi' means 'people' or 'nation' in their language. It's like having many, many cousins, aunts, and uncles all connected by their ancestors. These groups are super important to Māori culture and help keep traditions alive.

They are like the main branches of a giant family tree!

Long, long ago, the first Māori people sailed to New Zealand in big canoes from a place called Hawaiki. Each iwi group remembers these amazing journeys. They believe they all came from the same ancient ancestors who made these brave trips across the ocean.

Sometimes, iwi are even grouped together based on which 'waka' or canoe their ancestors arrived in. It's like remembering which ship brought your family to a new land!

Iwi have special jobs today! They help look after the land and important things in New Zealand. For example, one iwi called Ngāi Tahu got a special settlement, which is like a big agreement, to help make up for things that happened a long time ago. They now manage lots of money and important resources, showing how powerful and respected iwi are. They have a big say in how things are run!

An iwi is made up of smaller family groups called 'hapū' and even smaller ones called 'whānau'. Think of it like this: iwi is the whole tree, hapū are the big branches, and whānau are the leaves. Each iwi also has its own special land or 'rohe', which is like their own backyard.

They know exactly where their traditional lands are and have a strong connection to them, passing down stories and responsibilities through generations.