Definitions of Maori words used in New Zealand English
Aotearoa
(literally, ao = cloud, tea = white, pale, roa = long). This could be translated as (the) long white cloud. It does not mean "Land of the Long White Cloud". In Maori that would be Te Whenua o Aotearoa.
As with many Maori place names, the context from which the name derives is important. Traditional accounts suggest that Hine-te-aparangi, wife of well known pacific navigator/explorer Kupe, after a long ocean going voyage, sighted a particular cloud aotea that usually indicates the presence of land. The term roa can also indicate a length of time. Thus, a more accurate translation could be 'It has been a long time since seeing a cloud that indicates land'.
Aotearoa is commonly given as the Maori name for New Zealand. Before the arrival of Europeans to the New Zealand, it probably only referred to the Te Ika a Maui (i.e., the North Island).
hui
assembly, gathering (noun) to gather, to assemble (verb), generally applies to a group of people.
iwi
tribe
karakia
prayer, spiritual incantation.
kohanga reo
(literally, reo =language, kohanga = nest) Maori immersion pre-school (years 0 to 4).
kura kaupapa Maori
(literally, kura = school, kaupapa = principle or theme) Maori immersion school based on Maori practices and philosophies.
mahi
work or an activity.
mana
dictionaries usually translate this as 'authority, prestige, pride, or status'. Fluent speakers of Maori are aware that this concept in Maori can mean something else that is not always expressed well by the English translations.
Maori
indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, the language of the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand.
Pakeha
European inhabitants living in New Zealand, any non-Maori. Despite much debate, including many spurious myths, the origins of this term remain unclear.
Te Papa
(literally, te = the, papa = flat (surface/area)) Maori name of recently established museum in Wellington.
te reo Maori
(literally, te = the, reo = language) The Maori language.
tino rangatiratanga
(literally, rangatira = chief, -tanga is a nominalising suffix, tino is an intensifier). Used to refer to concepts such as sovereignity, self determination, autonomy.
waka
Traditionally this means canoe, vehicle or vessel. Sometimes used figuratively to mean a group, party or theme.
whanau
Traditionally this refers to an extended family. Also used in modern times to refer to the nuclear family. Can be used in both literal and figurative senses and is often applied to other groups of people or organisations.
wharekura
(literally, whare = building, kura = school) Often used in modern Maori to refer to the secondary component of a kura kaupapa Maori.
Notes and References
Further details on Maori words used in New Zealand can be found in the authoritative NZ Oxford Dictionary:
Deverson, T., & Kennedy, G. (Eds.). (2004). The New Zealand Oxford Dictionary. South Melbourne, Vic. ; Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press.
Other useful references include:
Barlow, C. (1991). Tikanga whakaaro: Key concepts in Maori culture. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press.
Macalister, J. (Ed.). (2005). A dictionary of Maori words in New Zealand English. New York: Oxford University Press.
Ministry of Justice. (2001). He Hinatore ki te Ao Maori: A glimpse into the Maori world. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Justice.
Orsman, H. W. (Ed.). (1997). The dictionary of New Zealand English. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press.
Williams, H. W. (1971). A Dictionary of the Maori language (7th ed.). Wellington, New Zealand: Government Printer.
Also see 100 Maori Words people in New Zealand should know.
Last modified: 22 October 2007.
This page is Copyright © Peter J Keegan, PhD, 2007.