KAITIAKITANGA A Definitive Introduction to the ... - MarineNZ.org.nz

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4. SOME CONCLUSIONS
We have seen how the seers and sages of Maori society deliberately created their
myths and legends as symbols to portray some other perceived reality. Those
symbols were deliberately couched in these forms in order to facilitate several
desired objectives.
4.1 Legends And Myths
Legends and myths have been used from time immemorial as a graphic means of
creating word pictures and scenarios as a framework into which the basic
elements of the realities perceived, may be set in summary form.
4.2 The Use Of Legendary Myth And Story
The use of legendary myth and story imprinted upon the mind, acted as pegs to
which the finer details could be attached in progressive order to reconstruct the
component features of that body of knowledge.
4.3 Aid For Ease Of Recall
On the one hand legend and myth provided a mechanism to aid ease of recall.
On the other hand …..used as a camouflage to hide the inner meaning from the --
---- such scred lore …. abuse and misuse.
4.4 Sanctions
The legend itself by virtue of its association with the pantheon of gods provided
the sanctions by which Kaupapa (first principles) were authorised and out of
which Tikanga – custom could flow and be validated.
5. GENEALOGY
Genealogy as an important symbolic mechanism has already been demonstrated
above. As a cultural institution it pervaded much of Maori culture. One of its
primary functions was to trace family and tribal ancestral lines. But even here,
there was an element of symbolism.
Man’s early ancestry traces back through its myth heroes to the gods through
mother earth. This truth is also featured in the Maori carved meeting house
where the ridge poles of the house, embedded in the ground and sustaining the
ridging symbolises the Cosmic Tree. The ridging is perceived as representing the
dome of heaven -–Te Tahuhu Nui O Te Ao and the floor represents mother earth
– Papatuanuku.