tiki
4
9.8
- noun
- /ˈtiːki/
- Literature
- In Maori mythology, Tiki is considered the first man and an important ancestor figure.
Examples
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According to tribal narratives, he presented the hei tiki to his daughter Tauheikuri.
Academic text (2016) -
Island Chief turns out to be directly descended from Tiki, "their first chief who was now in heaven" (215).
Academic text (2014) -
Many have thought that the taonga depicts a man, simply because the term "tiki" normally refers to a male figure.
Academic text (2016) -
In the case of Te Arawhiti, she is a hei tiki, a form of personal adornment worn around the neck.
Academic text (2016) -
The case of the hei tiki named Te Arawhiti illustrates Tapsell's point about taonga literally becoming ancestors.
Academic text (2016) -
During the ceremony, the villagers honored Tiki, their revered ancestor, by sharing stories of his legacy.
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The carved wooden figure of Tiki represents the first man in Maori tradition, embodying their ancestral beliefs.
Compounds
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tiki in Maori myth is the name for the 'first man' or a key ancestor, and many traditional carvings show tiki as a symbol of birth and family. This origin explains why tiki is held as a sacred or important figure in Maori culture.