Māori culture and heritage

Māori customs

Whether you’re a visitor to NZ or you live here, it’s important to be aware of Māori customs and how to interact in Māori culture. 

• Māori manners and social behaviour
• Māori traditional law
• Traditional Māori religion

Māori heritage

Māori heritage can be broken down into 3 sections. Physical (like burial sites or buildings), natural (like mountains or springs) and intangible (like rituals and knowledge). 

• The meaning of Māori heritage
• Matariki — the Māori new year
• The national Māori flag
• Visiting New Zealand’s Historic Places Trust heritage sites
• Visiting Māori archaeological sites
• Māori creation traditions
• The legend of Maui — how Aotearoa was created
• Legends relating to different areas of NZ