tipuna

Tipuna is a Māori term meaning ancestor or forebear. It is used to refer to the ancestors of a family, hapū, or iwi, and can also denote revered historic figures within a lineage. The term is central to whakapapa, the genealogical knowledge that connects all living people to their ancestors and to the origins of the world. Tipuna are often the subject of oral histories, waiata, karakia, and carvings, which express lineage, mana, and connections to places, waka, and land. In traditional practice, people may name their tipuna during ceremonies, seek guidance through ancestral connections, and honor tipuna in rites of passage, tangihanga (funeral rites), and on marae. Understanding tipuna involves recognizing that lineage is not only biological but also spiritual and social; knowledge of tipuna helps determine land rights, authority, and roles within iwi and hapū. In modern contexts, tipuna remains a core concept in storytelling, education, and the preservation of Māori language and culture, and is commonly invoked in museums, schools, and media as a way to acknowledge ancestors and lineage.