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Te Awa Atua =: Menstruation in the Pre-Colonial Maori World
An Examination of Stories, Ceremonies and Practices Regarding Menstruation in the Pre-Colonial Maori World: Based on a Masters Thesis
"Te awa atua is a ground-breaking study of menstruation in pre-colonial Maori society. Many early ethnographic accounts of menstrual rites were distorted beyond recognition by the colonial lense of their authors, yet their misinterpretations continue to be accepted as authoritative ... By examining stories about menstruation located in Maori cosmologies, tribal histories, oral literatures, ceremonies and rites, Ngahuia Murphy argues that menstruation was seen as a medium of whakapapa (genealogy) that connected Maori women to their pantheon of atua (deities). Ancient rites, recorded in tribal songs and chants, reveal that menstrual blood was used for psychic and spiritual protection. these examples unveil striking indigenous constructs of womanhood that radically challenge notions of female inferiority and menstrual pollution" - Back Cover
"Te awa atua is a ground-breaking study of menstruation in pre-colonial Maori society. Many early ethnographic accounts of menstrual rites were distorted beyond recognition by the colonial lense of their authors, yet their misinterpretations continue to be accepted as authoritative ... By examining stories about menstruation located in Maori cosmologies, tribal histories, oral literatures, ceremonies and rites, Ngahuia Murphy argues that menstruation was seen as a medium of whakapapa (genealogy) that connected Maori women to their pantheon of atua (deities). Ancient rites, recorded in tribal songs and chants, reveal that menstrual blood was used for psychic and spiritual protection. these examples unveil striking indigenous constructs of womanhood that radically challenge notions of female inferiority and menstrual pollution" - Back Cover
- GenresNonfiction
Unknown Binding
First published December 31, 2013
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July 3, 2018– A woman's time of power is in Te Awa Atua. –
Mud is the substance that connects us to Papatuuaanuku. We are formed from her uku - her red clay, from which we will take many shapes and forms within our lifetimes.
When I first opened Te Awa Atua by Ngahuia Murphy I didn't expect to be initiated into an ancient space wherein the story of our human existence was given new life.
As a waahine (female) Maaori growing up in the crux of urbanised New Zealand culture, I was rarely given opportunities in my everyday, western educational life to learn about the treasures and wisdoms from our mother earth. Fortunately, I was blessed with two kind, loving and deeply spiritual parents who created our divine sanctuary which I had the honour of calling home.
My childhood home was filled with fruit trees, gardens, forest, kai, music, colour and whaanau. Over the last 10 years I recall having had countless dialogues with teachers, companions, friends, and fellow travelers, about the stories of our ancestors - the stories of their creation into human form; our human evolution.
Te Awa Atua is a story, a perspective, that is rarely heard and rarely voiced through that of an indigenous wahine from Aotearoa. Ngahuia weaves threads of her people, her life, her maatauranga, into the story of how we came into existence.
Ngahuia draws upon various leaders, academics, activists and tohunga in a dialogue that reveals our hidden stories and practices of pre-colonial Maori society, with a central focus on celebrating menstruation and the life giving forces of the whare tangata. Ngahuia undertakes a very intentional journey of navigation, focusing primarily on unlocking, (re)claiming, (re)shaping, and revealing the ancient menstrual ceremonial practices our Maori people, the practices our Maori waahine were once fully immersed within.
This powerful work contributes to an ongoing dialogue stretching across time before beginning. It explores and retells our Maaori mythology story Kura Waka, the story of how our first human being Hineahuone was created. Ngahuia looks beneath the layers of our mother earth giving insights, collected from various Maaori Wahine across Aotearoa. Ngahuia makes no apologies for situating herself within her body of work, in fact it is through her embodiment of kaupapa Maori, as an indigenous writer, that gives validity and mana to her research approach:
“This study aims to retrieve stories about menstruation and menstrual blood from the world of our ancestors. The stories reflect the physical, spiritual and political significance of Maaori women, constructed within the cosmogonic and metaphysical universe of our ancestors.”
As I began to voyage through Ngahuia’s words, conversations and experiences, I found myself learning not only how our stories and ritual traditions of Te Awa Atua (the spring from the gods) were practiced, but I also began to dive deeper into the underworld, to the beginning of human creation itself. For me, Te Awa Atua is a deeply powerful and vital voice for how we as waahine, living and breathing in the 21st century, can continue to reveal and (re)awaken our true natures.
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This review was first published on Narrative Muse, http://narrativemuse.co/books/te-awa-..., and was written by Komako Silver. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.
Mud is the substance that connects us to Papatuuaanuku. We are formed from her uku - her red clay, from which we will take many shapes and forms within our lifetimes.
When I first opened Te Awa Atua by Ngahuia Murphy I didn't expect to be initiated into an ancient space wherein the story of our human existence was given new life.
As a waahine (female) Maaori growing up in the crux of urbanised New Zealand culture, I was rarely given opportunities in my everyday, western educational life to learn about the treasures and wisdoms from our mother earth. Fortunately, I was blessed with two kind, loving and deeply spiritual parents who created our divine sanctuary which I had the honour of calling home.
My childhood home was filled with fruit trees, gardens, forest, kai, music, colour and whaanau. Over the last 10 years I recall having had countless dialogues with teachers, companions, friends, and fellow travelers, about the stories of our ancestors - the stories of their creation into human form; our human evolution.
Te Awa Atua is a story, a perspective, that is rarely heard and rarely voiced through that of an indigenous wahine from Aotearoa. Ngahuia weaves threads of her people, her life, her maatauranga, into the story of how we came into existence.
Ngahuia draws upon various leaders, academics, activists and tohunga in a dialogue that reveals our hidden stories and practices of pre-colonial Maori society, with a central focus on celebrating menstruation and the life giving forces of the whare tangata. Ngahuia undertakes a very intentional journey of navigation, focusing primarily on unlocking, (re)claiming, (re)shaping, and revealing the ancient menstrual ceremonial practices our Maori people, the practices our Maori waahine were once fully immersed within.
This powerful work contributes to an ongoing dialogue stretching across time before beginning. It explores and retells our Maaori mythology story Kura Waka, the story of how our first human being Hineahuone was created. Ngahuia looks beneath the layers of our mother earth giving insights, collected from various Maaori Wahine across Aotearoa. Ngahuia makes no apologies for situating herself within her body of work, in fact it is through her embodiment of kaupapa Maori, as an indigenous writer, that gives validity and mana to her research approach:
“This study aims to retrieve stories about menstruation and menstrual blood from the world of our ancestors. The stories reflect the physical, spiritual and political significance of Maaori women, constructed within the cosmogonic and metaphysical universe of our ancestors.”
As I began to voyage through Ngahuia’s words, conversations and experiences, I found myself learning not only how our stories and ritual traditions of Te Awa Atua (the spring from the gods) were practiced, but I also began to dive deeper into the underworld, to the beginning of human creation itself. For me, Te Awa Atua is a deeply powerful and vital voice for how we as waahine, living and breathing in the 21st century, can continue to reveal and (re)awaken our true natures.
----------
This review was first published on Narrative Muse, http://narrativemuse.co/books/te-awa-..., and was written by Komako Silver. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.
July 24, 2018
This had heaps of great and completely new information. The way that the colonisers patriarchy works is to deny me access to this kind of book and the fact that I could wander down to Unity books and get such incredible knowledge makes it a 5 star read.
I would struggle to recommend it to casual readers with a passing interest though because it is quite academic. But then again it is based on a thesis so that wasn't a surprise at all.
I would struggle to recommend it to casual readers with a passing interest though because it is quite academic. But then again it is based on a thesis so that wasn't a surprise at all.
June 28, 2022
Definitely reads like the thesis it’s based on but this is a fascinating piece of research- I really hope someone does follow on research in particular around menopause traditions … I’d love to learn more about that!
May 7, 2022
A lot of thoughts and practises my whanau do were affirmed and I learnt new things. Looking forward to the deeper research in this space.
May 30, 2023
I read this book as part of a broader attempt to decolonise my thinking in order to respect, acknowledge, and understand the whenua I live on and tāngata whenua. I read it upon recommendation and strongly encourage others to read it, especially if they live in Aotearoa.
It was both a powerful and informative read. I can't express how important it is to examine and start conversations surrounding views on menstruation, and this book does it well - and raises important questions for further research.
It was both a powerful and informative read. I can't express how important it is to examine and start conversations surrounding views on menstruation, and this book does it well - and raises important questions for further research.
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July 21, 2025“It is an act of violence to speak of the blood that symbolizes the continuity of the people as ‘pollutive.’"
"In a culture which has come to see menstruation as ‘unclean,’ what a challenge, what a trick to recognise that one of our most renowned and beloved heroes came from the blood of woman, and returned there in death."
"In a culture which has come to see menstruation as ‘unclean,’ what a challenge, what a trick to recognise that one of our most renowned and beloved heroes came from the blood of woman, and returned there in death."
December 20, 2023
Truth telling to a T. Will treasure this. A decolonial must read against systems of oppression.
March 10, 2024
so many revelations. must read
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews