Māori culture

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mori-culture

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Māori culture. Small Whale. https://smallwhale.org/articles/mori-culture. Accessed 2026-09-23. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. From the article, write the cultural designation:Māoritanga
2. From the article, write the geographic and cultural origin:Indigenous people of New Zealand, stemming from Eastern Polynesian culture
3. What is Māori culture?Māori culture, called Māoritanga, is the customs, beliefs, and art of the indigenous people of New Zealand. It includes stories, songs, and special places called marae where people meet.
4. Why do Māori people carve wharenui?The carvings on wharenui, or meeting houses, show family stories, myths, and ancestors. They help keep history alive and remind everyone of their identity.

Wharenui: A carved meeting house, central to Māori community life and cultural expression.
Tapu and Noa: Concepts of sacredness/restriction (tapu) and commonality/freedom (noa), fundamental to Māori worldview.
Iwi and Hapū: Tribal (iwi) and sub-tribal (hapū) social structures that form the basis of Māori kinship and governance.