Reo

The culture of the Māori peoples is often referred to as an oral culture, ie knowledge was not written down using words to preserve, maintain, and perpetuate them. There are many cultures across the globe that were similarly structured in the passage of years and centuries. 

These kinds of cultures utilised various techniquese to ensure the continuity of their traditional knowledge, understandings, principles, etc, etc. These include story-telling, karakia, tauparapara, whakapapa, proverbial sayings, etc, etc, and this also includes song. 

Song, of course, is a creative endeavour with a beautiful tune to clothe the thoughts, and to convey the narratives that the composer deemed of value. Residing within the songs are the historical narratives, the anguish, the joy, the compassion, the resentment, the anger, the sadness and peace, and also the forms of knowledge mentioned above.