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Story: European discovery of plants and animals

Māori genealogy

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Māori genealogy

In the Māori world view, all things were linked by genealogies (whakapapa). They included humans, gods, plants and animals. This whakapapa shows the links between Tāne, god of the forest, and New Zealand’s tree species. People and gods formed part of the classifications of species, and of the understanding of the natural world.

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How to cite this page

John Andrews, European discovery of plants and animals – The first naturalists, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/whakapapa/10934/maori-genealogy (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Andrews, published 1 March 2009.