About a millennium ago, the ancestors of today’s Maori population brought their knowledge, language and artefacts from the Pacific Islands to Aotearoa/New Zealand; a process of change adapted them to the new environment here. The various iwi (tribes) around the country basically speak the same language, and the marae (the community meeting place) is still the spiritual and cultural centre of the many communities.

Music and dance are integral parts of Maori protocol, and also find expression in kapa haka, which developed from a unique combination of traditional and European music; they form the basis of exciting competitions held annually.

Maori music has also extensive interaction with western music, beginning with the hymns brought by the missionaries, and eventually creating a distinctive popular music, new styles in dance music, and in concert music genres.

There is a website on the popular music of Maori show bands ; a Maori composer of action songs is found in Ngoi Pewhairangi’s Tuini Ngawai Her Life and Songs, and there are books on haka and poi (dances unique to this culture); traditional instruments are increasingly used in free improv/jazz.

See Te Ara, the encyclopaedia of New Zealand for further information.

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