Category
Te Reo & Pacific Influence
Ae Yes, from te reo. Simple and increasingly common in everyday NZ speech… Aroha Love, compassion, empathy - from te reo, and one of the most-used Maor… Aunty Any respected older woman, related or not. A mark of respect in Maori … Awa A river, from te reo - frequently an iwi's ancestral waterway.… Boil-up A hearty Maori dish - pork bones, watercress, dumplings (doughboys) an… Chur for the kai Thanks for the food - stacking 'chur' with the Maori word for food. Po… Doing the mahi Putting in the work - and its scripture-tier companion, 'do the mahi, … Doughboy A dumpling in a boil-up - fluffy and filling. Sometimes 'doughboys'.… E hoa Maori for 'friend'. Also the likely origin of the exclamation 'ow'. If… Haere mai Welcome, come here - te reo greeting of welcome.… Haere ra Goodbye (to someone leaving), from te reo. The farewell counterpart to… Hakas The ceremonial challenge/dance, most famously the All Blacks' pre-matc… Hoha Annoyed, bothered, or a nuisance. From te reo. 'I'm getting hoha with … Hui A meeting or gathering. Used across NZ workplaces and communities now,… Ka kite See you later, from te reo - often 'ka kite ano'. Signed off many a NZ… Ka mau te wehi An expression of awe - 'awesome', 'amazing'. High te reo praise.… Ka pai Good, well done - a gentle te reo affirmation, common in classrooms.… Kai Food. From te reo Maori, used by everyone.… Kai time Meal time. 'Righto, kai time.'… Kao No, from te reo. The counterpart to 'ae'.… Kaupapa A purpose, plan, or set of principles - now common in NZ workplaces an… Kia kaha Maori for 'stay strong'. Said in hard times, grief, and national momen… Kia ora Hello, thanks, cheers, good health - the most famous te reo phrase, us… Kina Sea urchin - a prized (and divisive) Maori delicacy. Strong flavour, n… Koha A gift or donation, often at events - reciprocity is the point. 'Koha … Kumara Sweet potato, a Maori-introduced staple. In everything from chips to t… Mahi Work, effort. 'Doing the mahi' means putting in the graft — and 'do th… Mahi's done The work is finished - satisfaction in three words.… Mana Prestige, authority, spiritual power - a person's standing. Deeply imp… Marae The communal Maori meeting grounds - the wharenui and surrounds, heart… Maunga A mountain, from te reo - often a sacred ancestral landmark.… Moana The sea or ocean, from te reo. Also a very common name.… Mokopuna Grandchild(ren), from te reo - often shortened to 'moko'. Term of deep… On the marae At the communal Maori grounds - and, figuratively, in a space of proto… Pakaru Maori for broken or busted. Often anglicised as 'puckeroo'.… Pakeha A New Zealander of European descent - the standard, neutral te reo ter… Palangi Samoan word for a European/white person, common across NZ. Usually fri… Paua Abalone - the iridescent-shelled shellfish. The meat's a delicacy, the… Powhiri The Maori welcome ceremony onto a marae. Formal, moving, essential.… Puku Belly or stomach, from te reo. 'Sore puku' or 'full puku'.… Rewena Maori sourdough bread made with a fermented potato starter. Dense, tan… Sole Another Samoan-derived term of address, roughly 'mate' or 'bro'. Prono… Tangata whenua 'People of the land' - Maori as the indigenous people of a place. Foun… Tangi A Maori funeral, and the extended grieving gathering. From 'tangihanga… Taonga A treasure or prized possession, from te reo - can be an object, a per… Tauiwi Non-Maori New Zealanders collectively - those who came later. A te reo… Tiki tour The scenic route — or a euphemism for getting lost. Any indirect journ… Tu meke Maori for 'too much' — used to mean awesome, outstanding, overwhelming… Tutu To fiddle or meddle with something you probably shouldn't. 'Stop tutu-… Uce Term of address from 'uso', Samoan for brother. Used widely across Pas… Unko Uncle, in the Pasifika sense - any respected older man. From the Japan… Wairua Spirit or soul, from te reo. 'The wairua of the place.'… Whakapapa Genealogy, ancestry, the lines that connect you - a foundational te re… Whanau Family — including the extended, chosen, everyone-who-matters kind.… Whanau time Family time - now used well beyond Maori contexts for any family gathe… Whare A house or building, from te reo. Used casually for home too.… Wharenui The big meeting house on a marae - the heart of the community gatherin… Whenua Land, and also 'placenta' - reflecting the deep tie between people and…