Takatapui ‘Our stolen sexuality’
Scholar reveals gender ‘fluidity’ of pre-colonial Maori society
For Maori who don’t fit neatly into carefully constructed moulds of gender and sexuality the term takatapui can be a relief.
Scholar Elizabeth Kerekere argues that pre-colonial Maori were sexually experimental people who openly accepted gender and sexual fluidity.
Anyone who didn’t fit into heterosexuality was considered “takatapui”.
Kerekere, who identifies as lesbian, has spent five years writing her PhD and discovering new evidence takatapui existed in precolonial society. It was released recently at Victoria University.
Now she’s on a mission to normalise the term and create acceptance for LGBTQ — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/ queer — Maori.
Kerekere says: “Takatapui were part of the whanau, we were not separate, we were not put down, we were not vilified for just being who we are.”
Other Polynesian cultures have similar concepts for nonbinary people like the fa’afafine of Samoa, the mahu of Hawaii and the fakaleiti of Tonga.
Kerekere, 51, says the story of takatapui can be seen in chief Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke’s telling of the famous Maori love story between Hinemoa and Tutanekai. In Te Rangikaheke’s version, when Tutanekai falls in love and marries Hinemoa, he laments the loss of his intimate relationship with a man named Tiki, his hoa takatapui.
Kerekere says the fact they were sexually intimate was pretty obvious.
“Some people say that’s not sexual but then what do you think ‘intimate’ means?”
Maori were sex positive before colonisation. This can be seen in stories and songs, Kerekere says, like the waiata about an elder woman singing about how her vagina used to travel the country.
“Sex was a normal part of life. There was a lot of pride in skill. If you wanted to have sex you should be good at it.”
Kerekere’s thesis cites the story of missionary William Yate being sent home to England for engaging in mutual masturbation and fellatio with more than 100 young Maori men. What was interesting was that in the court news it said “the Maori weren’t ashamed and did not believe anything to be wrong”, Kerekere says.
“He was just a massive embarrassment to the Church because everywhere he went he kept doing it.
“The key thing was that it was accepted by Maori.”
As English culture spread to Maori, sexual freedom was stamped out, Kerekere says. Women and children were seen as chattels of men and subservient.
“Colonisation changed everything — our expression of sexuality, women having control of their own body, female leadership.
“We lost all of that, having fluidity, being polyamorous . . . our sexuality was stolen.”
Kerekere analysed 150 proverbs on gender, relationships and sex for her thesis. She drew and painted them to find patterns in their imagery. Fire and “talking in the night” were common metaphors for sex, she says.
It was then she found the whakatauki (proverb) “Nga korero ahiahi o Hinewha”, which literally translates as “the night-time talks between women”. After looking at other metaphors, Kerekere believes it actually means sex between two or more women.
“‘Talking in the evening’ often was an allusion to sex. When you see all these other examples and in each one it means sex, that means this one also means sex.
“You couldn’t have sex during the day, that means you’re lazy. There’s lots of whakatauki about sex at night.
“It’s the first new proof of takatapui in decades. When I found it I was crazy excited.”
Kerekere believed she had found two other whakatauki, one alluding to polyamorous male relationships and another to a female one.
Rainbow Youth has recently released its second resource on takatapui called Growing up Takatapui: Whanau Journeys to engage families in their child’s journey.
Communications manager Toni Duder said the concept was a way to honour Maori culture and their ideas around gender and sexuality.
“Using the word takatapui says you’re significant, this is a part of your Maoriness, be comfortable with who you are.
“Being Maori and having diverse gender or sexuality, these things aren’t in conflict. They’re actually really compatible.”