IO'S CREATION #806 - ATUA MĀORI: REGENTS OF THE LIVING WORLD

A Divine Design

Kia ora e te whānau. When we look at the way our world is put together, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. For many, God is a distant figure sitting far away, but our Ngāpuhi ancestors and the ancient writers of the Ethiopian Bible saw things differently. They understood that the Creator, Io-Matua Kore, established a sophisticated, local way of looking after the environment. He did not design a system where He stayed in the highest heaven doing every small task Himself; instead, He delegated the work to specific guardians we call Regents.

The Natural Departments

In our tradition, we recognise the Atua Māori as the children of the stars and the earth, appointed to oversee different "departments" of nature. This is not just a collection of stories, it is a practical way to manage the mauri, or life force, of our land. Whether it is the depth of the ocean or the height of the forest, there is a Regent responsible for that area’s health. If we want to see Taitokerau thrive, we have to respect the authority of these guardians.