What does Mangopare meaning?
Daniel Johnson
Published Feb 26, 2026
What does Mangopare meaning?
New Zealand’s rapid weather changes, frequent rain, distinctive cloud patterns and strong winds all had a huge influence on the daily life of Māori. The mangōpare represents strength, leadership, agility, tenacity, unrelenting determination, courage, and wealth. …
What are Kowhaiwhai panels?
Kowhaiwhai patterns are traditional Māori art, often found on Māori meeting houses called Maraes. The Kowhaiwhai patterns are history recorded by Māori and each tell a story. The colours used on them are traditionally red, white and black.
What is Kowhaiwhai made of?
The designs on buildings, canoes, and cenotaphs are called kowhaiwhai. The colours used are red, black, and white, the latter being the natural colour of the wood in pre-European times, but white paint is now used. The black paint was formerly made from soot, and the red from red ochre (kokowai) mixed with shark oil.
Where do Kowhaiwhai patterns come from?
Māori patterns are known as Kōwhaiwhai patterns. They are a traditional art form from New Zealand. They are often found on Māori meeting houses which are known as Wharenui. These beautiful designs also have different meanings behind them.
Where does the Mangopare come from?
Originating from Tangaroa (guardian of the ocean), the Mangopare symbolises the hammerhead shark, a principle motif in kowhaiwhai (rafter patterns) and moko (tattoo). This design is used throughout Maori art. Symbolising strength, agility and tenacity, it identifies the protective traits essential for warfare.
What does a hammerhead symbolize?
Hammerhead sharks for example symbolize tenacity and strength, determination. Since they move in large groups, often comprising thousands of them, they can also be a symbol of sociality.
What does Kowhaiwhai symbolize?
The kowhaiwhai painted on the ridgepole represents the whakapapa (genealogy) of the iwi (tribe). Nature is often the inspiration for these beautiful and stunning patterns which are often found on the rafters of the meeting houses.
What is Kowhaiwhai used for?
Kowhaiwhai are Maori motifs that are often used in art, advertising and design representing New Zealand. This is the kape pattern – a crescent with circles.
