MAORI MEN

"The men of your people are of different power structure. Yes?" - Gregory E. Woods

"In some respects although there is much that is held in common regarding familial structures and social institutions. Our languages are very closely tied. The recent influences of the French have overlaid many of the similarities with some vulgar voyeurisms and performative functioning of the rituals and dance found across the broad South Pacific Seascape. We are at base, island peoples and these common Waterscape has shaped much of our daily lives and still does to a large extent. Geographically our island homes differ to Tahiti in size and climate we being closer to the North pole unlike our Tahitian cousins. Perhaps it is the complexities of many nations and climatic changes which best answers your question. For me it is simple, we are island peoples and Ocean is in our blood. Land is of a different dimension in that Human BEingness than to say; peoples who may never experience their food sources from the Ocean on a daily basis.


As for social institutions, we share almost everything in common with our Tahitian relatives including the penchant of our Men for ta moko Skin Stories, Peace and Wartime scholarship and prowess and many other life cycle ceremonies and rites of passage. I loved that question. Thank you. I appreciated that very much." - Ngaronoa Mereana Taki