Whispers of Ancestry: The Māori Naming Tradition

In the quiet dawn of mist and sea,

Where the land meets eternity,

Echoes of the ancestors’ call,

A name bestowed, a sacred thrall.

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Whispers of the whenua, ancient and wise,

Carry tales beneath the skies,

Each name a story, deep and true,

A bond of spirit, old and new.

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From the mountains tall to rivers wide,

Through valleys where the shadows bide,

The Māori name in reverence given,

Links the living to the risen.

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Tāne’s forest whispers low,

As mothers sing and fathers know,

The essence of the child to be,

In the symphony of ancestry.

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Each syllable a woven thread,

Binding life to what is said,

Through generations, stories flow,

In names that help the children grow.

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Aroha and mana, strength and grace,

In every name, a sacred space,

Where history and future blend,

In the names that Māori send.

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To honor land and sky and sea,

In every breath, identity,

The naming tradition, ancient, wise,

A legacy that never dies.