<P> Tapu is also still observed at the site of whale strandings . Whales are regarded as spiritual treasures as being descendants of the ocean god, Tangaroa, and are as such held in very high respect . Sites of whale strandings and any whale carcasses from strandings are treated as sacred ground . </P> <P> Noa, on the other hand, lifts the tapu from the person or the object . Noa is similar to a blessing . Tapu and noa remain part of Māori culture today, although persons today are not subject to the same tapu as that of previous times . A new house today, for example, may have a noa ceremony to remove the tapu, in order to make the home safe before the family moves in . </P>

What is the meaning of tapu and noa