Final answer:
The Māori values most important seem to be environmental conservation and a deep connection to their heritage, with nature and rivers held in reverence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the provided excerpts, the values that seem to be most important to the Māori include a strong connection to their heritage and environment, which is evident through their cultural ways, rituals, and extensive knowledge of the natural world emphasizing environmental conservation and protection. This can be inferred from the historical accounts of their sustainable lifestyle that included farming that protects the soil and biodiversity, as well as their resistance to European colonization which threatened their land and traditional ways. Their relationship with nature and rivers is likely to be one of reverence and respect, suggested by the way environmental knowledge is preserved in their cultural practices and the implication of supernatural beliefs intertwined with this knowledge.
Their worldview reflects a desire to coexist in harmony with nature, and their beliefs likely encompass spiritual elements deeply rooted in their environmental interactions.
The Māori's beliefs about nature were likely founded on the balance and harmony with the natural world, as evidenced by the detailed trading networks and the absence of predatory mammals in New Zealand, allowing non-predatory species to flourish. This historical balance with nature is further backed by the symbolic use of the Kiwi, representing New Zealand and its unique biodiversity. Thus, the Māori culture demonstrates a close and spiritual connection with the environment, intertwining it with their values and way of life.