Māuikura
The people of Maui, also known as the Giants of the Sea, is the first civilization that landed on the shores of Whenua. For this reason, the other free people of Whenua consider them as the natives of this land.Māui caught the big fish
Nā Māui i hī te ika nui
From the eastern sea
I te moana o te rāwhiti
That is the Fish of Māui
Te Ika-a-Māui tērā
That is the land
Ko te whenua tērā
That is called Aotearoa.
E kīa nei ko Aotearoa.
Sea Warriors
Māuikuras are skilled fishermen and navigators, and their mighty stature and robust build have earned them the nickname of Sea Giants. In fact, although they may resemble normal men, an adult can reach a height of more than 3 metres, while the shortest still exceed 2 metres and a half in height.
Despite their peaceful nature, they are a warrior people who enjoy physical confrontation, and both males and females train in combat from an early age. A distinctive feature of the tribe is their tattoos: the Moko, which tell the life stories of the warriors, and the Kirituhi, symbols of birth and rebirth.
Another widespread custom among the Giants are the sacred dances known as Haka, which they use both to honour the gods and to psych themselves up for battle and instil fear in the enemy.
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