As in many parts of the world early māori measurement standards used were most often based on the human body. For example the span of the arms outstretched horizontally was the mārō whanganga or aronui.
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Maori body measurement. Bmi body mass index is likely to be an inconsistent measure of obesity in māori and pacific patients new university of otago research reveals. By tho people writes mr. Bmi uses weight and height to determine whether an adult is within the healthy weight range underweight overweight or obese. The maori are considered as an indigenous people that have originated in new zealand. Human body used for measurement the mārō whanganga or aronui. Early measurement in māori culture was based on the human body especially the fingers and arms.
It provides an estimate of total body fat and your risk of developing weight related diseases. This way of measuring was used in building whare houses whakairo carving raranga weaving and tā. The span of the arms outstretched horizontally. Using these measurements one could describe the girth of a tree the size of a fish the length of a canoe or the height and width of a new building. Using these measurements you could describe the size of a tree how long was an eel the width of a waka or the height of a new building. When constructing a wharenui the arm span whanganga of a designated person most often a person of importance such as a high ranking chief would be marked on a cord or rod rauru for measuring purposes.
Body mass index bmi provides a useful population level indicator of excess body weight. Human body used for measurement standards. They are also known to have a form of body art or tribal tattoo design known as moko but more commonly referred to as the maori tattooing. Bmi weight kgheight m 2. It is a measure of weight adjusted for height and is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in metres kgm 2. Bmi is calculated by dividing weight by the square of height as follows.
This art form was brought to the maori from the land of polynesia and is also considered to be highly sacred. This measure is used internationally to classify underweight overweight and obesity. It may be said that tho maori possessed no precise system ol measurement no recognised and univeisal standard of an immutable typo universally employed. Maori measurements some curious devices. Four multiple regression equations incorporating resistance and reactance height and weight sum of four skinfolds or sum of two skinfolds were developed in two thirds of the polynesian participants using dxa fat mass as the. How the natives achieved precision.
At higher body mass index levels polynesians maori and samoans combined had a significantly higher ratio of lean massfat mass compared with europeans. Early measurement in māori culture was based on the human body especially the fingers and arms. Elsdon best in the new zealand journal of science and technology such a condition we should naturally expect to iind among an.
Gallery of Maori Body Measurement
