Tapu is a concept often misunderstood when people attempt to translate its meaning outside of Maori culture. This is because it is extremely broad and often translated definitions do not appreciate it (Sachdev:1989). It is extremely important to understand that tapu has the ability to vary in intensity depending on the context of the local environment (Sachdev 1989). To increase the complexity of Tapu we must take into account that something/someone/somewhere can contain a positive or negative tapu (Sachdev:1989). In some cases Tapu can be used to describe something that is sacred and you want to keep safe. In other cases, however, tapu may be used in the sense that its tapu is negative and is a place from which one should perhaps turn away as impure (Bowden 1979:52). An example linking tapu to Māori leadership is that Māori males are naturally classified as having positive tapu which is said to be inherent in them. Females in Maori society, however, are called noa and not tapu. This is important to note as men in Māori society are considered more suitable for leadership positions, especially in politics, by settlers (Mead 1994:3). Tapu is then further defined by your elders or your whakapapa. In other words, your ancestors also play a role in determining the strength of your tapu (Duncan 2015). Therefore having a prestigious and respected family and a whakapapa can elevate your superior status within Māori tribes (Bowden 1979:53). The person who holds the largest amount of tapu is considered the ariki (high chief/leader) (Bowden 1979:53). These processes of defining a person's tapu to help determine their role in the tribe illustrate the fact that the concept of tapu is of central importance in determining Māori leadership (Bowden: