11.8.4 Warfare Power in Polynesian societies, including the M̄aori, could be inherited or gained through war. From early times, warfare and the role of the warrior were vital parts of Polynesian culture. Leaders in Tonga, Hawai’i and Aotearoa maintained authority with punishment, rituals and battle. Wars could start over insults, kidnapping, land or resources. In Otaheite (Tahiti) and Aotearoa, frequent tribal warfare prevented a single ruling family from taking control. Sometimes large tribal groups would temporarily unite under a supreme chief for bigger wars, hunting or trade. Every Polynesian island has stories of fierce conflicts over land or power. Polynesian warfare could even mean large invasions involving thousands of warriors.
SOURCE3 The M̄aori war canoe was up to 40 metres long and could carry dozens of warriors. It was formed from a large hollowed-out tree trunk that was then intricately carved and decorated, as shown in this etching, c. 1773.
Some of the first Europeans in New Zealand in the early nineteenth century were impressed by the courage of the M̄aori, but also shocked by the violence and incidence of cannibalism . The rangatira (chief) of a defeated tribe could be eaten by the enemy as a symbol of their victory and the end of his mana (power). The heads of important fallen enemies were preserved by smoking and oiling.
SOURCE4 Prior to charging the enemy, M̄aori warriors often performed a war dance (haka), both to prepare themselves mentally for the battle and to strike fear into the enemy.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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