Useful words in te reo Māori
Key Māori words and phrases relevant to environmental management.
Te reo Māori (Māori language) is important for expressing Māori culture and describing concepts and values of Te Ao Māori. There are inherent difficulties in trying to describe these values and concepts in scientific language and risks the meanings being lost in translation. However, here are some useful words, sourced from Harmsworth et al. (2013)(PDF), for those working in environmental sciences:
Important words and phrases
- Atua
- god, supernatural being, deity
- aroturukitanga
- monitoring
- Haumia-tiketike
- atua of wild or uncultivated foods
- huānga
- outcomes
- hapū
- sub-tribe
- inanga
- whitebait
- iwi
- tribe
- kaimoana
- seafood
- kaitiaki
- Māori resource manager
- kaitiakitanga
- sustainable resource management
- kaumātua
- elder
- mahi
- actions
- mahinga kai
- garden, cultivation, food-gathering places
- mana
- prestige
- manaaki manuhiri
- provide hospitality to visitors
- manaakitanga
- reciprocity
- mana whakahaere
- decision-making power
- marae
- meeting place
- mātaitai
- marine reserve
- mauri
- life force
- ngahere
- forest
- mātauranga Māori
- Māori knowledge
- ora
- health, well-being
- ōritetanga
- mutual benefit, the right of development and redress
- pou herenga
- value and interests
- rangatiratanga
- authority, self-determination
- rongoā
- medicine
- rūnanga
- council
- takiwā
- district, area, territory, vicinity, region
- Tāne Mahuta
- atua of the forests and birds
- Tangaroa
- atua of the sea and fish
- tangata whenua
- local people
- taonga
- treasured possession
- Tāwhiri-mātea
- atua of the winds, clouds, rain, hail, snow and storms
- tipuna
- ancestor
- tohu
- signpost or indicator
- Tūmatauenga
- atua of war and people
- tuna
- eel
- uaratanga
- goals, objectives
- wāhi taonga
- heritage areas
- wāhi tapu
- sacred sites
- waipuna
- freshwater springs
- wairua
- spirit
- wairuatanga
- spirituality
- whakapapa
- ancestry
- whakatauki
- proverbial saying
- whānau
- family
- whānaungatanga
- relationships
More information
HARMSWORTH, G., AWATERE, S. & PAULING, C. 2013. Using mātuaranga Māori to inform freshwater management, Landcare Research Policy Brief no. 7.
