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Glossary of Mäori Words

 

We include here just some of the common Mäori words or New Zealand acronyms for important institutions that are often mentioned in the hui discussions.  This list is designed to help overseas readers in particular.  If you wish to have any other Mäori word translated to English, or vice versa, click on the Translator link, enter your word into the ‘Translator’ dialogue box and the translation will be reported back. We are grateful to Mark Laws (Te Whare Wänanga o Otago) for allowing our link to that Translator.

 

The Kai Tahu dialect from southern Te Wai Pounamu substitutes 'k' for 'nga'.  We have endeavoured to record the dialect in the way spoken by each individual speaker rather than standardising on one or the other.     

 

Aotearoa

In the nineteenth century the North Island, now commonly the whole of New Zealand.

 

E hoa

Friend.

 

ERMA

Environmental Risk management Authority

 

FRST

Foundation for Research Science and Technology.

 

GE

Genetic engineering.

 

Hapü

Section of a large tribe, subtribe, a clan or grouping within a tribe.

 

Harakeke

Flax.  Phormium tenax.

 

Hui

Gathering, meeting.

 

Iwi

Nation, tribe, people.

 

Kaitiaki

(Verb) to guard; to protect.

(Noun) guardian; protector.

 

Kaitiakitanga

The act of guardianship, environmental stewardship.

 

Kanohi ki kanohi

‘Head to head’ or ‘Face to face’.  A common call in the hui discussions was to have consultation and relationships built on personal meetings and head to head discussions rather than by exchange of paper and policy statements.

 

Kaumätua

Elder(s), male or female.

 

Kaupapa

Agenda, path, important theme.

 

Kia ora

Greetings.  Hello.  Excuse me.

 

Körero

Address, speech, talk.

 

Kuia

Elder woman.

 

Mana

Authority, control, influence, prestige, power, responsibility.

 

Mana whenua

Authority to speak and act with respect to a particular part of the land.  Also synonymous with ahi ka; i.e.., those who have maintained their mana whenua by right of continuous occupation.

 

Mäori

Indigenous people of New Zealand.  The older word means 'ordinary, natural,  normal; or free, unrestrained'.  See William's dictionary.

 

Mätauranga

Knowledge, understanding.

 

Mauri

Life-force, life principle.

 

MoRST

Ministry for Research Science & Technology.

 

Murihiku

The Southland district.

 

New Organism

Any species, subspecies, cultivar, race, including any genetically modified organism, that is not already in new Zealand but which is proposed for release.

 

Ngäi Tahu / Käi Tahu

The tribal group holding manawhenua (along with Ngäti Mamoe and Waitaha) in Te Wai Pounamu.

 

Ngäti Mamoe / Käti Mamoe

Northern tribe who settled in Te Wai Pounamu during 1600s.

 

Ngähere

Forest, bush.

 

Poha

Kelp storage bags, often used for storing Tïtï

 

Rahui

Restriction, reservation/exclusion under tribal authority.

 

Rangatiratanga

Authority, sovereignty.

 

Rakiura

Stewart Island.

 

Reo

The Mäori language.

 

Rünanga / runaka

Tribal council, assembly.

 

SILNA

South Island Landless Natives Act (1906) land.

 

Tangata whenua / takata whenua

People of the land, local owner-occupier, original inhabitant, the people who hold the turangawaewae and the manawhenua in an area, according to Tribal and hapu customs.

 

Taonga

Treasured possession, material or abstract (eg Language); Mäori interest in these is protected by the Treaty of Waitangi and NZ statute and common law.

 

Te Waipounamu

South Island.

 

Tikanga

Rights, custom, accepted protocol, rule, Mäori traditions, lore or law, the correct Mäori way.

 

Tiriti o Waitangi

The Mäori version of the Treaty of Waitangi.

 

Tïtï

Muttonbirds, sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus)

 

Tuna

Eels

 

Turangawaewae

A person’s right to stand on a particular piece of land or in a certain place and to speak and be heard on matters affecting them; their relationships to that land and its resources.

 

WAI262

The shortened name given to the Waitangi Claim No 262 for the ownership and management of native fauna and flora.

 

Waiata

Song

 

Waitaha

It is a general name for the various groups that existed in the South Island after the arrival of Rakaihautu and prior to the arrival of Ngati Mamoe.

 

Whänau

Family, or family group.  But it can sometimes be used to refer to a number of people.

 

Wänanga / wänaka

School

 

Whenua

Land

 

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