A participant wearing a fantasy costume poses for a picture during the Hero Festival in Marseille, France November 12, 2016. (Photo by Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters)

Iceland foals stand together at a stud farm in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 15, 2022. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

American model Olivia Culpo in the second decade of March 2024 is in “vacation mode”. (Photo by oliviaculpo/Instagram)

The long and intriguing story of the origine of the indigenous Maori people can be traced back to the 13th century, the mythical homeland Hawaiki, Eastern Polynesia. Due to centuries of isolation, the Maori established a distinct society with characteristic art, a separate language and unique mythology. Defining aspects of Maori traditional culture include art, dance, legends, tattoos and community. While the arrival of European colonists in the 18th centure had a profound impact on the Maori way of life, many aspects of traditional society have survived into the 21th century.