We all want to be the best parents for our kids. Our tūpuna can help us.

Our tūpuna (ancestors) had gentle and respectful parenting ways and many of these can be effective today. Pēpi were considered a gift from the atua (gods) so were tapu (sacred) and not to be harmed. Pēpi are also born with the mana from the atua and from their tūpuna, meaning they were treated with respect, as any adult would be.

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Tūpuna parenting ways are grounded in whānau stories, matauranga and early explorer evidence.

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We write about tūpuna parenting ways, modern parenting practices, and useful tips and tricks for anyone with babies and kids.

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Latest Research

Rather than just giving you the simple versions of the tūpuna parenting kaupapa, we’ll also publish our research. We’ll publish whole articles if we have copyright permission to reproduce the content, or we’ll just publish links to the research online. Enjoy! Kia pai!

Early Explorers – Mana of the Children

Find out more about how our tūpuna involved tamariki is all daily activities to teach them about the world and what they would do in it. This write-up is an extract from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Early European Observations – Games and Fun

Everything tamariki saw and did prepared them for adulthood, including the games and fun they would have. This write-up is an extract from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Early European Observations – Whānaungatanga (Relationships)

Learn about how the whole community were responsible for raising tamariki, not just direct parents. This write-up is an extract from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Early European Observations – Aroha and Babywearing

From early explorers' written accounts, learn about affection and independence given to Maori children, and how they would be carried by their parents. This write-up has been extracted from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Colourful artwork of Ranginui, god of the sky.

Purakau are Lessons from our Tūpuna

Maori Baptism Ceremony by Louis Auguste de Sainson

Tūpuna Birthing and Newborn Ceremonies

Learn about traditional Maori birthing ceremonies according to oral histories and some explorer's written accounts. This write-up is extracted from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Waiata Oriori/Lullabies

Find out about waiata oriori - lullabies or poems that linked the pepi to the atua, to their special tūpuna passed on and to their living whānau. This write-up has been extracted from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.