Kurī

Kurī were of traditional, cultural and spiritual significance within te ao Māori as recorded in narrative traditions. In terms of whakapapa, the ancestor of kurī was Irawaru, the brother-in-law of Māui. 

Kurī were regarded both as ancestors and as kaitiaki or spiritual guardians of particular hapū and kin groups, and these traditions are still passed on today.

Learn more about kurī in this article.

Image: Carved wooden figure of a kurī – one of the oldest known artefacts found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Canterbury Museum E158.356.