Maori religion

The religion of the original inhabitants of New Zealand, having the god Io at its peak, who acts through an array of gods, spirits, and ancestors. The world of the dead is seen as the most dangerous because it overlaps with this world. It is filled with mana, a dynamic holy power which can spill over into this world, causing great troubles or, conversely, endowing great powers. Nature is imbued with great power and sanctity and it is essential for human well-being that the land is content and cared for.

Gods include Rangi the sky god and Papa-tua-Kuku the Earth mother who gave birth to all creation, and the gods who look after creation. The religious functionaries are called tohungas; they keep the balance between the different realms of the gods, the ancestors, guardians, and ghosts as well as the monsters.

Many Maoris are now Christians who try to draw in elements of their traditional culture. In recent years there has been a return to more traditional Maori beliefs and practices in order to stress distinct Maori identity.