Iwi

Quick Facts: Who was Iwi?

Subject:

Iwi

Known for:

The largest social unit in traditional Māori culture, meaning 'people' or 'nation'.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Iwi (Māori pronunciation: [ˈiwi]) are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. Iwi roughly means 'people' or 'nation' in the Māori language, and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in Māori, and is typically pluralised as such in English. Iwi groups trace their ancestry to the original Polynesian migrants who, according to tradition, arrived from Hawaiki. Some iwi cluster into larger groupings that are based on whakapapa (genealogical tradition) and known as waka (literally 'canoes', with reference to the original migration voyages).

Career & Major Achievements

These super-groupings are generally symbolic rather than logistical. In pre-European times, most Māori associated in relatively small groups in the form of hapū ('sub-tribes') and whānau ('family'). Each iwi contains a number of hapū; among the hapū of the Ngāti Whātua iwi, for example, are Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa, Te Taoū, and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei. Māori use the word rohe for the territory or boundaries of iwi. In modern-day New Zealand, iwi can exercise significant political power in the management of land and other assets.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

For example, the 1997 Treaty of Waitangi settlement between the New Zealand Government and Ngāi Tahu compensated iwi for various losses of the rights guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840. As of 2019 the tribe has collective assets under management of $1.85 billion. Iwi affairs can have a real impact on New Zealand politics and society. A 2004 attempt by some iwi to test in court their ownership of the seabed and foreshore areas polarised public opinion (see New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy). In Māori and many other Polynesian languages, iwi literally means 'bone', derived from Proto-Oceanic *suRi₁, meaning 'thorn, splinter, fish bone'.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1997: 1997 Milestone — For example, the 1997 Treaty of Waitangi settlement between the New Zealand Government and Ngāi Tahu compensated iwi for various losses of the rights guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840.
2. 2004: 2004 Milestone — A 2004 attempt by some iwi to test in court their ownership of the seabed and foreshore areas polarised public opinion (see New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy).
3. 2019: 2019 Milestone — As of 2019 the tribe has collective assets under management of $1.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Iwi

True or False: “The term iwi exclusively refers to the immediate nuclear family unit within Māori society.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The immediate family unit is called whānau; iwi are the larger tribal groupings.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Iwi