Manaia

Introduction

The manaia is regarded as a mythological creature that travels between the human world and the spirit realm. It is a prominent motif in greenstone and wood carvings, and in Mori culture, it is a symbol of communication and storytelling. Before the people of the Mori were able to speak a language, they had no written language. However, traditional songs and dances still held the stories of their ancestors. Although the exact meaning of manaia is not clear, it is widely believed that they are guardians of significant cultural and spiritual objects.

Physical Traits

It is usually depicted as a creature with a man’s body and a fish’s tail, though it can also be depicted as a serpent or a bird. In some interpretations, it is depicted as a lizard or a seahorse. This type of figure-of-eight design is commonly used in various architectural features, such as window and door lintels and weapons.

Like the human figure, the manaia can be easily molded into various forms and is often used in combination with other symbols. It can also be distorted to create artistic works of art. This type of motif can be used to create designs that fit any space.

Other names

The word manaia is a component of the Samoan term fa’amanaia, which means “making a decoration.” This is relevant to the Niuean term fakamanaia, which literally means “making an embellishment.” The term manaia is often confused with the ceremonial pendant that is popular in the region and also with a Maori chief with the same name.

Powers and Abilities

It is believed that the manaia is the messenger between the spirits and the earthly world, and its symbol is used to protect the people from evil. This type of motif usually consists of a figure-of-eight design, with the upper half ending in a beak-like structure.

Modern Day Influence

The manaia can also be found in other cultures, such as Easter Island and Hawaii. In wood carving, the manaia can be distorted to create various designs, and it can be used to fill empty spaces. In many compositions, the background is usually composed of the manaia.

This type of motif is commonly found in Maori jewelry, and it is often worn as a pendant. The designs vary in form between different iwi, and the three-fingered symbol is often associated with death, life, and birth. A fourth finger is sometimes depicted as representing the life cycle’s rhythmic patterns and the afterlife.