Maori of New Zealand: Women and Religious Beliefs and Practices

Religious beliefs and practices provide the foundational structure of many cultures by dictating moral laws, as well as explaining human origins and purpose, and cosmic and social organization. Gender status is one area significantly impacted by spiritual beliefs and religious doctrine. As Bonvillain explains, “Because attributes and relationships of women and men are basic features of social life, religions offer people explanations for and justifications of prevailing cultural constructs of gender” (301). The spiritual beliefs of the Maori of New Zealand are polytheistic and strongly based on connecting the natural and the supernatural. The Maori were a partially stratified society organized by chiefdom. Similar to many rank societies, the highest social status was generally reserved for men, who inherited these roles through their father. Despite some gender inequalities, some Maori women attained leadership positions and women in general were respected for their contribution to the community. For Maori, religious as well as political status was inherited from parents, and all people were born with spiritual potential. The interdependence of men and women are reflected in the Maori creation story, but the concepts of spiritual power, tapu and mana, both limit and elevate the social status of women.
The Maori creation myth helps maintain a relatively equal status between and stresses the interdependence of women and men. The Maori creation myth begins with a male deity, Ranginui (Father Sky), and a female deity, Papatuanuku or Papa (Mother Earth). For a long time, Ranginui and Papa were joined in an embrace and there was no distance between the sky and earth. In their embrace, there was no light and their numerous children eventually grew tired of the darkness. Tumatauenga, the god of war, suggested they kill their parents, but Tanemahuta, guardian of the forests, convinced his siblings they should separate Ranginui and Papa, and take Papa with them, so she...