Maoris Today

 their chosen fields. Among them were the opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, film director Lee Tamahori, child actor Keisha Castle-Hughes, golfer Michael Campbell, artist Ralph Hotere (who died in early 2013), and writers Patricia Grace and Witi Ihimaera.

MAORI ART TODAY

The Maori were also into tattoos. Many Maori has kept the tradition of getting tattoos. Big facial tattoos are mostly being used before ceremonies. The art form is called Ta Moko, and has really been coming back since the 1980's. But they are doing it in a less painful way than they did before. They use mostly paint in ceremonies, or new fashion tattoo equipment for smaller tattoos, instead of knives and human bones. Read more about Maori tattoos here.

Many types of Maori art are being brought back, like sculpture, dance, songs etc by young Maori today. The Kaupapa (meaning): " It becomes a demand for identity. It is a personal choice, totally unrelated to ancient religious or traditional obligations. Of major value in the reconstitution of the Polynesian identity, the motives are modernized, freed of the strictures of tradition, and one sees intermingled Marquesan, Samoan and Maori styles."(Gotz, speaking of the story in Tahiti.) Also music from earlier generations of the Maori has begun to be popular with the young Maori and European descendants. The Maori's self-esteem has the past years flourished in step with their culture and status.

THEIR LIVING SITUATION TODAY

The Maori do not live together in big family groups, like they used to before the Europeans came. Today every family live by them selves, but they still have close contact with other families who they mean are decedents from the same ancestor generations before. A family like that often own land together, or have an own marae (farmyard). A marea consists of several buildings, a meeting hall, a dining hall and a big yard. There they have debates about issues in the community, "parties" like birthdays and weddings, funerals and so on. It is often beautifully decorated, both inside and outside with woodcarving. And it has a special meaning for a Maori. A marae assembling is called Hui. A marae is the basis for their social life. The Maori are known for their hospitality, and they often have gatherings in their marae, were they invite neighbours and friends. There are being built marae and Maori youth clubs in towns to help the Maori to integrate. The Maori want to be integrated, but without being eaten by the white society. They want to keep their traditions and culture.

The Maori are also known as a very talented and hardworking people,

...