Our tūpuna have much to teach us.

Come and learn their ways.

Here you’ll find our research that backs our writings in the blog. We’ll continue to build up this as a key source of knowledge of the parenting practices of our tupuna. Some of these are our own analyses, but anything that’s from someone else will be referenced.

Go and explore, and ask us questions for more information.

Early European Observations – 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.

Parenting in the Purakau/Oral Histories Stories

This write-up analyses the atua/gods and associated purakau/oral histories for cultural messages about child rearing. This write-up has been extracted from the Traditional Maori Parenting report.

Maori Baptism Ceremony by Louis Auguste de Sainson

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.