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The Māori tell that their ancestors left the mythical island of Hawaiki in seven canoes (waka). When they reached the archipelago, each canoe gave rise to a tribe. Now, when they introduce themselves formally, the Māori often state the name of the waka they are descended from through their genealogy.
Aotearoa, "The Land of the Long White Cloud," was adopted by the Māori in the twentieth century to name New Zealand.
The Māori call taonga, treasures, a wide range of tangible and intangible things, such as elements of the environment, people and objects. Passed on from generation to generation, they gain value over time, accumulating history, stories and mana. This term refers to a spiritual force which dwells in living beings, animals and objects. Mana confers authority, power and prestige on any beings and objects that possess it.
For the Māori today, these treasures – including works in museums – link them to their past and help them to connect the world of the living to the world of their ancestors.
© 2021 Musée d'ethnographie, Genève
