He Muka no te Taura Whiri
Abstract
Te Rapuwai, Ngāti Mamoe, Ngāi Tahu me Waitaha
The above proverb refers to the many strands that make up one rope. When the rope is tightly bound, it symbolises unity and strength. When the rope starts to unravel, however, it threatens stability and weakens the effectiveness of the rope to function as it was intended. The whakataukī is a metaphor for iwi (tribe) unity and the importance of maintaining strong relationships between all its members. If the unity is not there, relationships that have existed between members of the iwi community become strained and unworkable. The whakapapa, or kinship connections, will become weakened. The purpose of this paper is to examine how changes to Māori social structures have affected the whakapapa relationships between the members of iwi. The relationships to be examined are those between the members of the group who maintain residence in the group’s traditional territories—the hau kāinga—and the members who, through varying circumstances, have moved away from their hau kāinga—the taura here.
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