Ethnonyms: Māori, tangata whenua, New Zealand Māori
Total population: 914,400
Homeland: New Zealand, Polynesia
Regions with significant populations: Auckland, Waikato, the Bay of Plenty, Northland
Languages and dialects: Māori, Northern Māori, Eastern and Western Māori, Southern Māori, English
Religion: Irreligion (majority), Catholic Church, Christianity, Anglicanism, Rātana, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Māori are the Indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa New Zealand, with a rich and enduring cultural heritage shaped by deep genealogical connections, community responsibility, and a strong relationship to land, sea, and ancestry. Māori identity is often grounded in whakapapa, the intricate network of genealogy that links individuals to their ancestors, tribal groups, and the natural world, giving personal and collective life a profound sense of continuity and belonging. Traditionally organized through iwi, hapū, and whānau, Māori society places major emphasis on kinship, mutual obligation, and collective wellbeing, while cultural practices such as haka, waiata, carving, weaving, oratory, and ceremonial protocols express history, prestige, memory, and social values in living form rather than as distant heritage. The Māori language, te reo Māori, is central to cultural identity and has played an important role in revitalization efforts, alongside the strengthening of marae-based community life, education, and public recognition of Māori rights and knowledge. Māori worldview commonly reflects an interdependent relationship between people and the environment, where mountains, rivers, forests, and coastal places are not merely resources but are often understood as ancestral beings or revered relations, deserving care and respect. At the same time, Māori are not a single uniform group: they are diverse in outlook, location, profession, religion, and degree of cultural engagement, and many live modern urban lives while maintaining strong ties to tribal identity and customary values. Across history, Māori have shown resilience in the face of colonization, land loss, language suppression, and political struggle, and today Māori culture remains a dynamic, influential, and visible part of New Zealand’s national identity, expressed through art, politics, sport, ceremony, scholarship, and everyday life.