What do the colours red white and black mean to Maori?

Answer 1

Ma whero, ma pango, ka oti te mahi.

By red and black a job is finished - Many hands make light work.

also makes reference to the creation story when rangi and papa were separating by there offspring, white = the light red the blood of there separating bodies' and black the dark.

The spirit of unity:

"Kotahi i te kohao o te ngira e kuhuna ai te miro ma, te miro pango, te miro whero"

There is only one eye of the needle through which the white, blak and red threads must pass.

(After I am gone hold fast to the love, to that which is just, and to the faith.)

Potatau Te Wherowhero, first Maori King.

Answer 2

In Maori culture, red represents strength, vitality, and leadership. White symbolizes purity, clarity, and spirituality. Black signifies authority, prestige, and protection. These colors are often used in Maori art, tattoos, and traditional garments to convey symbolic meanings and tell stories.