Story: Take whenua – Māori land tenure

Papatūānuku

Papatūānuku

In Māori tradition the earth mother Papatūānuku, one of the two primal gods, represents land, illustrating its importance to Māori. Rather than perceiving land as being ‘owned’, Māori formed a relationship with it. This painting of Papatūānuku was done by Phil Mokaraka Berry of Ngāpuhi.

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Virtual Gallery: Phil Mokaraka Berry
Acrylic on canvas by Phil Mokaraka Berry

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How to cite this page:

Paul Meredith, 'Take whenua – Māori land tenure - Customary rights', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/18374/papatuanuku (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Paul Meredith, published 24 Nov 2008