Māori mō te ara o Hinekirikiri – kuputaka

Hinekirikiri is the female guardian of the intertidal zone. Within te ao Māori, seashores occur at the border of the realms of Tangaroa (god of the sea) and Tāne (god of the forest). Many pūrākau are set at this boundary. Similarly, there are many tikanga that are observed there and support the survival and management of this area of environmental richness.

Beaches are places of great importance to Māori as sources of food. Each iwi has its own particular protocols to observe when visiting coastal sites or gathering any sea-based resources. It is good to arrange for someone from your local iwi to visit to discuss these protocols with students. Introduction of kupu Māori will encourage development of dual perspectives on understanding this environment.

Kuputaka

Download the kuputaka as a PDF.