wairua

Wairua is a Māori term that translates roughly as spirit, soul, or life force. In Māori thought, wairua refers to the immaterial aspect of a person—the spiritual self that gives a person identity and continuity beyond the physical body (tinana). Wairua is understood to be connected to whakapapa (family lineage), mana (authority or spiritual power), and tapu (sacred status), and to the environment and living world more broadly. It is the dimension of a person that can be sustained or unsettled by actions, relationships, and ritual, and it may be strengthened by karakia (prayers), waiata (songs), and respectful conduct toward people, ancestors, and places.

Beliefs about what happens to wairua after death vary among iwi and communities. Many describe wairua as persisting beyond death and continuing to interact with the living through dreams, signs, or guidance from ancestors; others understand it as part of a broader spirit world. The concept is often linked to practices surrounding death, mourning, and the care of sacred places, with the idea that wairua connects individuals, families, and landscapes.

In contemporary New Zealand usage, wairua is commonly invoked in health, education, and legal contexts to acknowledge spiritual values and the presence of a non-physical dimension in people and places. It is frequently translated as spirit or inner life, and it is not a direct equivalent of Western notions of soul or mind. Related concepts in Māori thought include mana, mauri, and whakapapa, which together describe the interconnected dimensions of person, community, and environment.