Maori Language and Culture

Matariki is the Maori name for the Pleiades star cluster and refers to the traditional Maori New Year. It marks the start of the indigenous Māori calendar and is celebrated with festivals, feasting, and storytelling. Matariki is seen as a time for reflection, new beginnings, and honoring ancestors.

Rangatahi means the youth or young people.

"Moko" in Maori refers to a traditional form of facial tattooing or carving. It is a significant cultural practice for Maori people and is used to express a person's identity, social status, and lineage.

"Nuku te aio" in English means "peaceful land" or "land of peace."

Traditional Maori washed their hair using water mixed with natural ingredients like leaves, roots, and flower extracts. They would massage these natural substances into their hair to cleanse and nourish it. It was a holistic practice connected to their cultural beliefs and traditions.

The Maori name for a tree weta is "wētā pungapunga."

"He korero Māori koe" in Māori means "you speak Māori".

pea is the Maori world for pear. Pea is a noun.

Rohana does not have a specific meaning in Maori. It is not a traditional Maori word or name.

The Maori people have faced historical injustices including land loss, cultural suppression, and discrimination in New Zealand. Since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, there have been efforts to address these issues and improve the relationship between the Maori and the New Zealand government.

Kaihana is a noun. It is a Maori word. In English is means cousin.

whakamānawa is a verb meaning to bless or to honour. Karakia is a noun meaning blessing, prayer etc.

Māori culture is important because it reflects the unique heritage, traditions, language, and values of the indigenous people of New Zealand. Preserving and promoting Māori culture helps to maintain their identity, strengthen community bonds, and ensure the continued recognition and respect for their contributions to society. It also enriches the diversity of New Zealand's cultural landscape.

In Māori mythology, Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother) were created by the primal parents, Rangi and Papa, who were locked in a tight embrace until they were separated by their children. This separation created space (the sky) and allowed for life to exist between Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

iho means heart, essence, inside, inner core, kernel, pith of a tree, essential quality, nature. Manawa is the heart of a person.

kao is a dried kumara. kāo (with a macron) means no.

A whatitoka is a traditional Maori sliding door

poroaki means to "take leave or farewell". A more accurate word is haere rā meaning good bye or farewell.

Rua tekau ma tahi is a Maori number. It is number 21. 'Rua tekau' tells you the number is twenty and 'ma tahi' tells you it is 1. Hence it is 21.

Weka is a maori word for an animal. It is a brown-feathered endemic bird streaked with black with a short bill and legs, able to run fast but flightless.

William Hobson, as the first Governor of New Zealand and a key figure in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, played a significant role in the establishment of British authority in the country. While he did work towards establishing a harmonious relationship with the Maori chiefs through the treaty, his primary allegiance was to the British Crown and furthering British interests in New Zealand. His actions and policies reflected this allegiance.

In Maori, you would say "Kei hea a Nana?" to ask where someone named Nana is.

"Whaikore" is a Māori term that means "without energy" or "lifeless." It can be used to describe a lack of vitality or spirit in someone or something.

Yes Koro is what maoris call their grandad or father.

Source: Me!! Im a maori...

In Māori, a person staying would say "E noho rā" to say goodbye.