General Whakataukī
Like the sound of a basket of refuse shells being
Ahaha! Me te kete kainga e riringi ana thrown down a cliff (An allusion to a mode of
ki te pari
disposing of all refuse when occupying cliff perched
forts)
Ahakoa he iti te matakahi, ka pakaru i Although the wedge is small, by it the Totara tree will
a ia te totara
be shattered.
Ana ta te uaua Paraoa!
Here's the strength of a Sperm Whale
The caterpillar eats round the edges of the leaves
Awhato kai paenga
(refers to a greedy person as a caterpillar , therefore
denounces greed).
a saying indicating the fragrance of the eel family
E ! te kara (kakara) o Tutunoa
(when cooked)
E aha te kai e pahure i a ia
What prize can be won by such a gun
E hara i te mea, he kotahi tangata
it was not one man alone who was awake in the dark
nana i whakaara te po
ages
E hoa! He hakuwai te manu e karanga O friend! The hakuwai is the bird that is ever calling
tonu ana i tona ingoa
out it's own name
E iti noa ana na te aroha
Small gift, given in love.
E kita nei hoki te tarakihi
Of a hungry man when food is scarce
E kore e ngaro he takere waka nui
it will not be undetected, it is the hull of the canoe.
Clay will not stick to iron. (Do not pretend to be what
E kore e piri te uku ki te rino
you're not, because the clay disguise will fall off).
E kore koe e tata mai, i nga tairo a Tu- You won't get near me, because of Tu-te-koropanga's
te-koropanga!
obstructions!
E kore te kawau e neke i tona tumu tu The shag will not move from it's stump
E mahara iho ana, he waka ka
i thought the canoe was securely moored, But it
urutomo; he ika rere ki Hikurangi ra ia. became like a flying fish to Hikurangi.
E moe i te tangata ringa raupa
Marry a man with worker's hands.
E moe tonu ana te tohetaka
Of a late sleeper
The early one goes leisurely, the latecomers rush
E mua ata haere, e muri tata kino
dangerously
E tata mate, e roa taihoa
Death is close compared to the latecomer
The above saying implies that the thick-bladed adze
Ehara! He mata toki onewa
of common stone can never equal the thin bladed
hapurupuru marire, kapa taua he mata keen-edged nephrite adze for fine neat work. it was
toki pounamu e tu te tatai o te whakairo used as an expression of the fact that a common
person can never equal a high-born chief in ability etc
Applied to the famed warriors and runners of Tuhoe
Haere ! Kia hiki ai koe i nga kuri a
who moreover passed magic powers to increase their
Pohokorua
speed, even so that no man might escape them, flee
he never so swiftly.
Haere ko ki te moana hei pouto
Go you to the ocean to serve as net floats (Maori
kupenga
Relgion part pg )
Farewell! O son! You pass the morning tide, even as i
Haere ra! E tama E! Mou te tai ata,
will pass with the evening tide. An expression used
moku te tai po
when a man saw a slain relative or friend. Was often
a prophetic of the speaker's fate.
Although i may be killed, there is an aute tree which i
He aha koa au ka mate, tena te aute i have planted by the side of my house (Some of the
whakatokia e au ki te tara o te whare
person who was about to be killed, relations were left
alive to avenge his death)
He aha to kai, he para to kai, ka taka
What is your food ? (if) Para is your food, the pattern
nga hua o te whakairo
He ao, he aotea he Aotearoa
He aua kokoti ihu waka i te moana he
aitua, ko Rakaiora kokoti i te ara taua i
te tuawhenua
He harore rangi tahi
He hono tangata e kore e motu; ka pa
he taura waka e motu
He horo kai kei a koe, e Tamareia!
Turanga i te poroporo, Ruangu anake!
He ihu kuri, he tangata haere
of the tattooing (on the face) will move
it is a cloud a white cloud a long white cloud
A herring crossing the path of a war party on land
Applied to anything short-lived or not long established
A human bond cannot be severed; unlike a canoe
rope, it cannot be severed
Thou hast a gluttonous throat, O Tamareia! but only
Ruangu was at the end of the battle.
A dog's nose is the traveller. (Like a dog following the
smell of food, so the traveler look's for the open door.
He ika paewai anake hei tomo i roto i
None but Paewai will enter my eel pot
te hinaki
He iti hoki te mokoroa, nana i kakati te The Huhu grub is very small, but it chewed through
kahikatea
the Kahikatea
A few of Tuhoe and Hades shall laugh. (Numerically
He iti na Tuhoe, e kata te Po
a small tribe, their war parties of tuhoe achieved
fame)
He iti ra, he iti mapihi pounamu
Small indeed, but made of greenstone
Though the adze be small, yet does it equal a man
He iti toki, e rite ana ki te tangata
that is, in regard to the work it performs
He iti, he iti kahikatoa
Though he is small, he is small like Manuka
there is food in my hands (by using them i aquire
he kai kei aku ringaringa
food)
he kai na te tangata, he kai titongi kaki: food obtained from another merely titillates the throat,
he kai na tona ringa ake, tino kai, tino but food gained by one's own arm is the best and
makona
most satisfying
He kai tangata, he kai titoi kaki
Another man's food mocks your appetite
He kanae rere tahatu
Of a wild young man
The kokako bird swells up at his home on PauHe kokako ka toko i runga o Paumahoe. (This is a saying applied to cowards and to
mahoe
those who take flight in a battle, or run from their own
homes when attacked)
He kotahi na Tane-whare-rangi, e raka Applied to a man who uses weapons equally well in
te maui, e raka te katau
both hands
He kura kainga e hokia, he kura
You may return to a treasured home, but not to a
tangata ekore e hokia
treasured person
He kura tangata e kore e rokahanga;
The treasured possessions of man are intangible ;
He kura whenua ka rokohanga
The treasures of the land are tangible
it is work that consumes people, as greenstone
He mahi kai takata, he mahi kai hoaka
consumes sandstone (Tahu)
implying that it needs a toki axe to fell a forestHe maire tu wao, ma te toki e tua
growing Marie tree, so hard and durable is that timber
[Stone
There are no crayfish because you set your heart on
He manako te koura i kore ai
them
it is a big river indeed that cannot be crossed (if
He manga wai koia kia kore e whitikia
difficulties are made light of, they will disappear)
He manu hoki koa, e taea te hokahoka,
Am i a bird, able to take flight , And fold my wings in
E taea te whanawhana te whare i moe
the house where she sleeps?
ai?
He manu kai kakano e mau, tena he
A bird which eats berries can be caught, but not a bird
manu kai rakau e kore e mau
that eats wood
A proverbial saying for one who crosses the path of a
He maroro kokoti ihu waka
hostile war party and is killed to ward off ill luck
He mata mahora no te ara whanui
Another good man has gone ie an admired person
Tane
who passed away.
A great sickness which fell upon that people
He mate kino i pa mai ki taua iwi
He matua pou whare e rokohia ana, he The main parent pole in a house can always be
matua tangata ekore e rokohia
found, but a human parent cannot always be found.
He maunga tiketike, ka taea e au ; he A lofty mountain i can negotiate, but not so a lofty
tangata tiketike, e kore e taea
man.
Select the Maurea, do not bother about the common
weeds. ie Do not turn your weapons against us, but
He maurea kia whiria
go on and attack the chief place, where the leading
men are.
He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te
A choppy sea can be navigated. (Persevere)
waka
A thread from the woven rope of Hine Ngakau. (Many
He muka no te taura whiri a Hine
sub-tribes are her descendants from Wanganui, even
Ngakau
north as far as Taumarunui).
He potiki na te koekoea
For an illegitimate child
An adze-breaking child -- is applied to the youngest
he potiki whatiwhati toki
child of a family, as betokening mischievousness
[Stone
He puna wai e utuhia, he wai kei aku
Like the spring well are the tears from my eyes, Like
kamo, Te pua korau e ruia, e tipu i te
the nectar shaken free, in the summer breeze.
waru
He puta taua ki te tane, he whanau
As warfare is to men, childbearing is to women.
tamariki ki te wahine
A whale's tooth in a whale's jaw (a metaphor for
He rei nga niho, he paraoa nga kauae people being suitably qualified for particular
purposes)
He tangata ki tahi
A man who speaks once. (A man of his word)
he tangata momoe, he tangata
a sleepy headed or lazy man will never aquire
mangere, e kore e whiwhi ki te taonga property
He tao huata e taea te karo, he tao na Human spears can be deflected, but not those of
aitua kaore
Misfortune (Death)
He taringa whitirua koe
used to for an inattentive person
He tini nga whetu e ngaro i te kapua iti Many stars cannot be concealed by a small cloud
He toa piki rakau he kai na te pakiaka A brave man who climbs trees is food for their roots
He toa takitini taku toa, ehara i te toa
My bravery was the bravery of many, not just one
takitahi
warrior.
He toa taua he toa pahekeheke he toa A champion warrior's life is precarious, but a
mahi he toa mau tonu
champion worker lives on.
He toa taua, he toa pahekeheke ; ko te He who is but a warrior will fall, but he who is brave in
toa ngaki kai, e kore e paheke
the cultivation of food will flourish
He toa taua, mate taua ; he toa piki
The warrior and the cragsman shall die violent
pari, mate pari, he toa ngaki kai, na te deaths, but the husbandman to the worm (the later
huhu tena
will die a natural death)
A Totara split in two is food for the fire (unity is
He totara wahi rua he kai na te ahi
strength)
He urunga tangata, he urunga
An human pillow is an unsteady one. ie Rely chiefly
panekeneke
on your own efforts and not the assistance of others.
A woman in the house is like a kaka in the forest
He wahine ki te kainga, he kaka ki te
ngahere
He wahine, he whenua, e ngaro ai te
tangata
He wai Tangaroa i haere ai ki uta
He waru ki runga, he rare ki raro
He whare maihi tu ki roto ki te pa
tuwatawata, he tohu no te rangatira ,
He whare maihi tu ki te wa ki te
paenga, he kai na te ahi
Hei kona koe tu ai hei pare wahine
Hie, hie! Haere ki te huhi, haere ki te
repo, Haere ki a Hine-wairua-kokako!
Hie, hie!
Hinga atu he tetekura, ara mai he
tetekura
Hohonu kaki, papaku uaua
Hokia ki nga maunga kia purea koe e
nga hau o Tawhirimatea
Hokianga whakapau karakia
Through women and land men are lost. (These are
the most usuall causes of war
By means of water was Tangaroa enabled to go
inland
Summer [lit. eighth month above, indolence below
A carved house standing in the palaside pa is the
sign of a chief, A carved house standing in an open
place is food for fire
Stay you there to serve as fillets for women (Maori
Relgion part pg )
Away, away! Go off to the swamp, off to the bog, go
off to Hine-wairua-kokako! Away, away!
A leader falls, another rises. (Refers either to the
figurehead of a canoe or to a tall fern in the forest.)
Deep throat shallow muscles. (Long on words, short
on action)
Return to the mountains to be purified by the winds of
Tawhirimatea
Hokianga using up all our prayers (Refers to a battle
in prayer between two tohunga)
Homai te kaeaea kia toromahangatia,
The falcon must be snared , and the hawk must be
Ko te kahu te whakaora; waiho kia rere
saved let it fly on!
ana!
Follow each other quickly as the rat does. ie Do not
Honoa te hono a te kiore
straggle
i whea koe i te ngahorotanga o te rau o
Where were you when the Fuchsia leaves fell?
te kotukutuku?
i whea koe i te tangihanga o te riroriro, Where were you when the Grey Warbler was singing,
ka mahi kai mau?
that you didn't work to get yourself food?
Ka ea te kanohi kitea o Taihakoa ki
The ‘seen face’ of Taihakoa at Ruatahuna is
roto o Ruatahuna
equalised
Ka hinga te totara i te wao nui a Tane The Totara tree has fallen in Tane's great forest.
The cooking fires burn at Tauanui and die out at
Ka ka Tauanui, ka roroku `Otere
Otere i.e., there is abundance of food at Tauanui, and
none at Otere
The Puriri trees of Taiamai laugh, there's good news
Ka kata nga puriri o Taiamai
in the north
Ka katokato au i te rau pororua
i keep gathering the leaves of the sow thistle
Ka kawea tatou e te rehia
We are allured by the arts of pleasure [Games
Ka ki te puku o tena tangata i te wai
The stomach of that person will be filled with water
Ka mahi te take pakiranga
Of one who falls easily, or is easily discouraged
Ka maro te kaki o te kawau
The shags neck is stretched out
The fisherman sleeps, but the watchman is awake
Ka moe te mata hi tuna, ka ara te mata
(applied to watchfulness in war time, also to wakeful
hi taua
people and early risers
Ka pa te muri, ka tangi te toroa , ki tona When the north wind blows, the Albatross weeps for
kainga i waho i te moana
its home far out on the ocean
Ka pakeke te haere, kaua e hemo
When things are difficult, don't give up
The older net lies in a heap while the new net goes
Ka pu te ruha ka hao te rangatahi
fishing. ('Rangatahi' has become synonymous with
youth)
Ka puta koe ki te whaiao , ki te ao
You will come forth to the light of day , the world of
marama
light
Ka riro te irikura, ka waiho te purapura Refers to the fact that Maramakikohura lost her
a Whakaotirangi te take o te irikura
kumara, while Whakaotirangi saved hers.
When a net is worn out, it is thrown away on the
Ka ruha te kupenga, ka pae kei te akau
shore
Ka titiro a Maunga-nui, ka titiro ki
Maunga-nui looks towards Kaipara, and Kaipara
Kaipara; ka titiro a Kaipara, ka titiro ki
looks towards Maunga-nui
Maunga-nui
When Taumarere's spring overflows, Hokianga's
Ka toto te puna i Taumarere, ka mimiti
spring ebbs, when Hokianga's spring overflows,
te puna i Hokianga. Ka toto te puna i
Taumarere's spring ebbs. Hokianga to the west and
Hokianga ka mimiti te puna i
Taumarere to the east. What happens to one
Taumarere
influences the other.
if an act can be consummated at such an anxious
Ka tu te ure, he toa, ka hinga, he mate
time then success is assured
Ka tuwhera te tawhera o te riri, kaore e When the gates of war have been flung open man no
titiro ki te ao marama
longer takes notice of light and reason
My totara sapling so suddenly broken off (said by a
Ka whati ra ia taku mahuri totara
parent after their child has been killed)
When a cabbage tree is broken it shoots up and
Ka whati te ti, ka wana te ti, ka rito te ti
grows a new head of leaves.
Ka whawhai tonu matou ake ake ake We will fight on forever, ever and ever
Kahore he tarainga tahere i te ara
You cannot make yourself a bird spear as you go
Kai te mate te wahine i te pakaruhaka
Refered to women who have their period (HB ) (Tahu)
toto
it will not be eaten, that fish has big scales (Taranaki
Kaore e pau, he ika unahi nui
the fish is too tough to eat.)
in war Paeko is called upom, but when food is ready
Karanga riri, ka karangatia Paeko;
karanga kai, te karangatia Paeko
he is not called.
Katahi ano ka tukari te mara a Te
Saying used when the sea is beginning to rise
Noinoi
Kati ano taku taonga nui i te pounamu My only treasure is the pounamu
Kati te tangi, apopo tatau ka tangi ano , We have cried enough, for soon we will cry again , it
A pa ko te tangi i te tai, e tangi roa, e
is not like the crying of the waves, which ever cry,
ngunguru tonu
ever sound
kaua e tirohia te pai ahua, engari te
take no heed of good looks, but rather of the rough
raupa o te ringa
hand of the worker.
Kaua e whakapaia te moenga, kei
Do not make your bed comfortable, lest you sleep too
warea e te moe. Me moe ki te wahi
soundly. Rather sleep on rough ground, that you may
pakiaka, kia ohooho ai, kia rere ai i te
waken easily and thus escape the war party.
taua, kia hemo ai
Kaua tatou e tukua kia mate-a-whare, Let us not linger on and die of old age, rather let us
engari kia mate a ururoa
die as does the shark, fighting fighting to the last.
With me is the ‘fish’ of the beginning, i.e., the first one
Kei au te ika i te ati
slain
Kei kora wa kei Motupohue, he pareka it was there at Motupohue that a shag stood, eating
e kai ana, na to tutae
your excrement (Tahu)
Lest Tahu be trampled on (Tahu personified food
Kei takahia a Tahu
supplies)
Kei te maikuku pango nei te rahi
For anything very small;
Kei te maikuku pango nei te rahi
For anything very small
Kei whawhati noa mai te rau o te rata!
ki te parakuihi kua mate koutou
Ki te tuhi ano i nga whakairo katoa
Kia korero koe i te ngutu o te manu,
Kia hoki ana mai to wairua ki te ao na !
Kia mahaki ra ano te kauae o Poua ka
riro ai te whenua
Kia mahara ki te he o Rona
Kia mate ururoa tatou, kei mate-atarakihi!
Kia matenga ururoa te tangata
Kia mau koe ki te kupu a to matua
Kia mau te tautiti o te taua
Kia pai ai taku titiro ki Te Ara a Kiwa
Kia tu tonu au, ko te moa i Hikurangi ,
E tautiaki nei a
Kiki a waha ta Rakai-hakeke, to te ta
whakarere te Rakai-weriweri
Ko Heretaunga hauku nui
Ko Hine-ruhi koe, ko te wahine nana i
tu te ata hapara
Ko Hine-titama koe, matawai ana te
whatu i te tirohanga
Ko Kawerau te tangata ko kaweke te
ngakau
Ko koe taku hoa o whai hoariri
Ko Maui tinetinei ahi
Ko nga rangatira o te tau titoki
Ko Putauaki te maunga he ngarara
tana kai
Ko Rakaiora kokoti i te ara taua i te
tuawhenua, he ana kokoti ihu waka i te
moana
Ko Roimata, ko Hupe anake nga kaiutu
i nga patu a Aitua
Ko Tane-te-hokahoka nana te manu
Don't keep plucking the flowers of the Rata
by breakfast you (many) will be dead
To grave any manner of graving
Speak with the bill of a bird, Let your soul come back
to us in this world
When Poua's jaw bone becomes loose, then the land
may be taken
Remember the fault of Rona (Rona is the woman in
the moon. She cursed the moon and would not stop
even when warned.)
Let us die like white sharks, not Tarakihi!
A man should die like a shark, i.e., die game
Heed your parents advice.
Wait till the girdle of the war party is fastened, i.e.,
until the crops are gathered in
Let me gaze upon Foveaux Strait (Tahu)
Let me stand here always, the Moa , That watches at
Hikurangi
These men were the ancestors of Ngati Awa. .The
former threatened to kill the latter, who, however, by
means of a sudden blow, slew his threatner. This
expression is used in cases where the tables are
turned as before mentioned.
Heretaunga of heavy dew-fall (very fertile)
implying that the glories of dawn emanated from
Hine-ruhi
You are like Hinetitama, a sight that causes the eyes
to glisten (A saying for a beautiful women)
Kawerau is the man, perverted is the heart.
You are my companion, my fighting enemy. (Tahu)
Maui the fire extinguisher
Chiefs of the Titoki year. (imitation chiefs. Anybody
could look like a chief in those years when the red
titoki berries were plentiful)
Saying applied to Mt Edgecumbe
Rakaiora intercepting a on land is equivalent to a
herring intercepting a canoe at sea.
Tears, etc., alone the avengers of the strokes of
misfortune
States that birds sprung from Tane-te-hokahoka
Taramainuku is the man, Tutamoe is the hill, by which
Ko Taramainuku te tangata, ko
his descendants claimed that mountain (the highest
Tutamoe te puke
north of Auckland)
Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hapai o ki The carriers of God's emblems first, the carriers of
muri
food later. (God's worship first, worldly things later)
Arawa of the big mouth. The Arawa people are
Ko te Arawa mangai nui
famous for their oratory
Ati Awa from heaven above. (Tamarau, one of the
Ko te Ati Awa o runga o te Rangi
ancestors of Ati Awa, was a wairua.)
Ko te kete ika a Tutekawa
Ko te korero te kai a te rangatira
Ko te koromiko te rakau i tunua ai te
Moa
Ko te moe a te manu, au ana te moe ki
te peka o te rakau. Ko te moe a te
tangata tutakarerewa tonu i te taua
Ko te tai i whakakiia e Maru-tawhiti
Ko te wa tonu ia i mua ra, koi tara ana,
e te hue nei!
Ko wai rawa te tangata hei noho mo to
whenua , Ko Turiwhati, ko Torea, ko
nga manu matawhanga o te uru!
Ko Waitaki te awa, kā roimata nā
Aoraki i ririki
Ko Whiro te putake o te kino ao
Kohi awheto i te mara a Te Tahuri
Kopaki tuhera tu ana Tamaika
Kotahi na Tuhoe ma te po e kata
A proverbial name for Lake Forsyth. (Tutekawa was
the first Kai Tahu chief to settle by it's waters that
were full of fish. (HB ) (Tahu)
Words are the food of chiefs
A reference to the Koromiko wood being the only
good wood to cook the meat of the Moa.
Birds sleep and peacfully upon the tree branch, but
man, he is ever wakeful and in dread of enemies.
The sea which was filled by Maru-tawhiti
Oh, once there was a time when this gourd was
shooting!
Who will be the people to live in your land?, Dotterel
and Oystercatcher, the birds of the western shore
Waitaki is the river, the tears spilled by Aoraki (Tahu)
Whiro was the cause of the evils of the world
Collect awheto in the farm of Te Tahuri
When a package of (cooked eels) is opened Tamaika
will be there (Ngati Awa) (Maori Relgion part pg )
There is amusement in the underworld if only one
Tuhoe dies in battle.
Koukou mai e te ruru kihai i
mawhitiwhiti kihai i marakaraka te
A saying for when the Morepork was heard in the
upoko nui o te ruru tereko he po he po early morning as it was a sign that dawn was near.
he ao ka awatea
The dancing of Tanerore has begun (Tanerore is the
Kua tu te haka a Tanerore
quasi-religious personification of the quivering,
heated air of summer).
The legs are what make man go. (Shanks pony) (HB )
Ma ka hutawa hoki e haere ai te takata
(Tahu)
Ma mahi ka ora
Work brings health prosperity
if chief red and worker black pull together the job is
Ma pango ma whero ka oti te mahi
done.(Many hands make light work)
mahia te wahie mo takura, mahia he
prepare fuel for the winter, but food for the whole year
kai mo tau
Big chips from the worker's chisel reach those who sit
Maramara nui a Mahi ka riro i a Noho around. (Lazy bones get some of the benefits of the
hard worker)
Mate atu he tetekura, whakaete mai he A leader falls, another rises. Refers either to the
tetekura
figurehead of a canoe or to a tall fern in the forest.
When one home is destroyed, you still have the
Mate kainga tahi ora kainga rua
second. (Have two strings to your bow.)
Applied to one who has unwittingly slain a relative in
Maua to pehu mangaro
war.
Mauri mahi mauri ora, mauri noho
Work makes you well
mauri mate
Me he huroto au kei ro repo, Me he
i am like a bittern in the swamp , A bittern with its
kaka, e whakaraoa ana
choking cry
Me he korokoro tui
With the throat of a bellbird. (An orator)
Me kauhi ranei koe ki te huruhuru
Shall i cover you with a cloak made of Kakapo
kakapo, pu mai o te tonga ?
feathers , Heaped up here from the South?
Me kawe ki Whare-kura, ki te ururua
Do not bother attacking small places.
If Tama-ngarara is to die, let him die by going slowly.
Me mate a Tama-ngarara, me mate ki
Death should not be pursued in a hurry, rather it
te ata haere
ishould be allowed to take its own time.
Me mate a ururoa te tangata
Let man die like the shark
Me oioi ki te ringa ka puta ai te tama a Refers to the children of Upo-koroa crewatting a
Upoko-roa
comet
it is like the day on which Muringa was born. Applied
Me te ra i whanau ai a Muringa
to a fine day (Whanganui)
Like a Weka escaping from the snare of the fowler.
Me te weka ka motu i te mahanga
Said of an escaping prisoner, or survivors of a beaten
force in flight.
Me tupu i a wiwi, i a wawa, tuuria i te
That like the flowers of the evening-primrose men
wera, piri ki te rito o te rengarenga,
may die in the day but are renewed at night, and are
waiho me whaka-pakari ki te hua o te matured like the little kawa-riki, which although the
kawariki.
smallest of plants still bears fruit
Mo te whenua kowhatu-kore tenei ki
This saying is for a stoneless country)
Mo Tu-muriwai te kupu tau ke te patu
used when an innocent person is slain or punished.
ki a Tu-te-kohe
Mokau is above and Tamaki is below - in relation to
Mokau ki runga Tamaki ki raro
travelling fronm the South island up to the North
island
Na wai koe, te kuare, i ki kia rite koe ki Who said that you, the ignoramus, should be equal to
te tangata ka rapa te whai
the person who can make intricate whai designs.
Said of a person who excels at making the difficult
Na wai te tangata ka rapa te whai
patterns of whai.(He who excels at so difficult a thing
should be able to do anything). [Games
Naku te ake i te waiho i te whare,
Mine was the weapon left in the house; had i brought
mehemea kua mauria mai e au, kua
it with me, then you would have felt the man roasting
kite koe i te makahua kai tangata o
stones of Whakatane
Whakatane
Said of persons who committed suicide or did bodily
Nana noa i a kai kino
harm to themselves.(HB ) (Tahu)
Nau i whakahau te kahahu, he taniko
You wove the garment, i have put the border to it
taku
Nau te rourou, naku te rourou ka ora te With your food basket and my food basket the guests
manuwhiri
will have enough. (May each contribute)
Nga kotuku awe-nui o te uru , Ka moe The long plumed white heron's of the west , Sleep
whakaaio ki te mate
peacefully in death
Nga mahi whakairo, nga mahi a Rua
The arts of carving are the arts of Rua
Nga Puhi of a hundred holes, man eaters. (Nga Puhi
Nga Puhi kohao rau kai tangata
were not united but very fierce.)
Saying used to describe weapons used in two ways,
Nga rakau matarua a Tumatauenga
as for thrusting and striking
Nga tama korowhiti a Tangaroa Nga
A reference to the mullet implying the jumping sons of
tama korowhiti a Tangaroa
Tangaroa
Nga tikanga no tatou te iwi Maori
Our rights belong to the Maori people
Nga uri a Haunui-a-papa-rangi, nana i The descendants of Haunui-a-papa-rangi who
taotao(takahi) te nukuroa o Hawaiki
trampled the length and breadth of Hawaiki.
Nga whakanenene kainga parea ake; The bickering of the home must be put aside, the
nga whetewhetengu whakawatangia
misunderstandings set right.
Ngatete nga iwi a Hua i te ra
Rattling are the bones of Hua in the sun
Ngati Mahanga para raerae
With clearings no bigger than their foreheads.
Ngati Porou nuku-rau, he iwi moke, he
whanoke
No te mea ra ia, he rakau tawhito, e
mau ana te taitea i waho ra, e tu te
kohiwi
O te parara
Papatuanuku te matua o te tangata
Ngati Porou, deceivers, lonely, but daredevils.
in a very old tree you may be certain that the
sapwood is on the outside, while the heartwood is in
the middle
A remark made to half-castes. (HB ) (Tahu)
Mother Earth is man's parent
united at night, scattered in the day. (A group plans
Po tutata, ao pahorehore
together in the evening, but when dawn comes each
goes his own way.)
Puritia nga taonga a o tipuna, Hei
Hold fast to the treasures of your ancestors, as a
tikitiki mo to mahunga
plume for your head
Rae oneone
Saying referring to backbiting
Rarangi noa ra te rangai kuaka , kia
Flocks of Godwits are gathering , moving restlessly
tauhikohiko te pari tu waho
on the seaward cliffs
Rauru ki tahi
Their chief, Rauru, was a man of his word.
Rehua the man-eater (When the star Rehua rose the
Rehua kai tangata
kumara was planted, often tribes would attack their
neighbours if they had plentiful crops of Kumara)
(Wrap up ) our fine garments of flax from Hunaa. don
Rukuruku Hunaa, horahora Papakanui
your rough capes of Kiekie from Papakanui)
Ta te rangatira tana kai he korero, ta te Speech is the food of a chief, the ignorant person is
ware he muhukai
inattentive. This is a play on the word 'kai'.
Ta tetamariki tana mahi e wawahi taha Children's work is breaking calabashes.
Takata te mohio, takata te pai, he
The man of knowledge is a good man is a proverb of
whakatauki i mua
old. (Knowledge is a good thing.) (HB ) (Tahu)
Tama tu tama ora, Tama noho tama
Laziness makes you sick
mate
Tama tu, tama ora, tama moe, tama
He who stands, lives, he who sleeps, dies
mate
Tama Tu, tama ora: tama noho, tama
the energetic prosper, the indolent go hungry
mate kai
A man who dredges mussels will get himself a wife, A
Tane rou kakahi, ka moea , Tane moe,
man who sleeps in his house will get his head
roto i te whare, Kurua te takataka
thumped
Tangata i akona ki te kainga, tunga ki A person trained at home will stand on the marae with
te marae, tau ana
dignity.
Tangata takahi manuhiri, he marae
if a man insults a guest, his marae is dirty.
puehu
Tangi amio ana te karoro i te awa ,
The black-backed gulls circle the channel, crying ,
Nga tohu o te ipo unuhia noatia
They are a sign my beloved is taken from me.
Tapora whakarere wahine
Widow-making Tapora
Taputapu-atea, kia ngohi i te iti, kia
Said to be a contempuous remark made by warriors
ngohi i te rahi
who were asked to share their bodies of the slain
A saying applied to the Taranaki tribe on account of
Taranaki waewae hakoko
their practice of witchcraft
Taranaki waewae hakoko
Relates to the use of makutu in Taranaki
The Titoki ripens its fruit, the Rata is red in the eighth
Taute te titoki, whero te rata i te waru
month
Te ai he mahara ki te ao , Whakarere You gave no thought to this world , You hastily
rukaruka te moenga i te wahine , Rere- abandoned your wife's bed , And flew like a bird to
a-manu tonu ki te hui matangohi, Kei catch the first fish , Let your name be lost so it would
hoki te ingoa, kia tarewa ki runga ra
be raised high
is applied to anyone who goes round tasting the
various dishes, derived from the habit of the awheto
of eating round the leaves of the kumara
Te Hapa o Niu Tireni!
The unfulfilled promise of New Zealand (Tahu)
Te Heke o Maruiwi
A saying for death
Te kahu i runga whakaaorangi ana e
The hawk up above moves likes clouds in the sky. Let
ra, Te pera koia toku rite inawa e !
me do the same, inawa e !
Te kai pae kau a Rangi
A saying applied to the gourd
Te kaupapa o te tau iwi
The law belongs to the European
Te Mana motuhake mo Tuhoe
The special mana for Tuhoe [Games
Te mate o te iwi
The malaise of the tribe (Tahu)
Te ora iti o Kahutore
An expression for luxuries
The shoal of whitebait. Applied to the Ngati-Rongo
Te pokai marearea
people by Ropata Te Wahawaha. They flew up the
Whakatane river on his approach.
The flock of shags at Wairau (An expression applied
to the survivors of Waikare-moana who when
Te rahui kawau ki roto o Wairau
pursued by Tuhoe flew from place to place around
the Wairau arm of the lake.
Te ringa tohau nui
An expression for industry
Te tohu a Ngai-Te-Riu
Refers to an incident in the Tuhoe-Arawa war.
Te toki e kore e tangatanga i te ra
The adze that is not loosened by the sun
Te toto o te tangata, he kai; te oranga Food supplies the blood of man; his welfare depends
o te tangata, he whenua
on the land
Te tui whakapahuhu a Kahukura
Kahukura's slipping-off threading
Te wahine i te ringaringa me te
The woman with active hands and feet, marry her, but
waewae kakama, moea, te wahine
the woman with an overactive mouth, leave well
whakangutungutu whakarerea atu
alone.
Tena te ringa tango parahia
Said of an industrious workman
Tihe mauri ora ki te whai ao, ki te ao
Sneeze, living soul, in the world of being, in the world
marama
of life
As many as the stars in heaven, so numerous is Ngati
Tini whetu ki te rangi, ko Ngati Maru ki Maru on the earth. (Ngati Maru were once very
te whenua
numerous in the Thames area and to the south of
there.)
Tu ana raeroa; noho ana raepoto
When visitors arrive the meal will be over
A portion [of food in a little bundle is a portion lost; a
Tu pupu, tu ngaro; tu kete, tu ea
portion in a basket, a portion to be repaid
Tuhoe moumou kai, moumou taonga, Tuhoe, waters of food and property, destroyers of
moumou tangata ki te Po
mankind
Tuhoe moumou tangata ki te Po
Tuhoe, wasters of mankind unto death)
Tuhoe, maumau kai, maumau taonga, Tuhoe, lavish with food, lavish with the men who fall
maumau tangata ki po
in battle.
Tungia te ururoa, kia tupu whakaritorito Burn the overgrowth to allow the flax shoots to grow
te tupu o te harakeke
through.
Tutohu ahiahi, whakarere hapai
Accept at night, reject in the morning
Waiho i kona te tangata o te paka
Leave the man of the dry birds.
maroke
Let it be sharpened, it is but a big adze chipped--used
Waiho kia oroia, he whati toki nui
in the sense of - Although a misfortune, yet it can be
remedied.
Waiho kia whana atu ana, he toroa
Let him set out on his journey , an Albatross that
awhe nui e topa ana ia ki te uru.
travels far away, soaring to the west
Te awheto kai paenga
Waiho ma te tangata e mihi
Waiho ma te tangata e mihi
Waikato taniwha rau, he piko he
taniwha, he piko he taniwha
Wairoa tapoko rau
Whangaihia te tangata ki te ika ora ia
mo ra tahi, engari akohia ki te hi ora ia
mo ake tonu ake atu
Whano ake ka korikori kai te
hopehope, whai e koni ki te tahuna one
Wharikitia te whare mo te manuhiri, kia
pai te whare mo te manuhiri! Tahia te
marae, e, tahuna he kai ma te mauhiri!
,
Whatu ngarongaro he tangata, toitu he
whenua
Whiti koreke, ka kitea koe! , Haere
whakaparirau i a koe, haere
whakamanu! ,
He mahi kai hoaka, he mahi kai takata
Ko te kokomuka te rakau i tunua ai te
moa
Koia hoki te hauku he roimata na Raki
e taki ana ki a Papa
He puna hauaitu, he puna waimarie,
he puna karikari
Auahi, au ora, aumoana, aua noa atu
Kua pakoa te tai
Kaua e waiho ki te mahaka harakeke
kia uaina e te ua, kia whitika e te ra
pakapaka, kia puhia e te hau ka motu.
Ekari, waiho ki te mahaka whitau, kia
uaina e te ua, kia whitikia e te ra
pakapaka, kia puhia e te hau, e kore e
motu.
Noku te korikori, nou te korikori tahi.
Te tomairaki, me te hukapapa, me te
hukarere, me te ua, he aitaka na Raki i
a Papa, koia te taru ka tupu ai i te
raumati.
Kei waho koe hei tawai i ka ra o to
oraka
Ee!, Ka ra o toru whitu
E kai ko maoka, ka kai Korekore
Let someone else sing your praises
Let someone else acknowledge your virtues
Waikato of a hundred chiefs, at every bend a chief .
Wairoa engulfs myriads. (in olden times whenever a
party of the Tuhoe people visited Te Wairoa they
were pretty sure to be either attacked or bewitched,
from which two causes Tuhoe has lost a great many
men.
Feed a man with fish, he will live from day to day,
teach him how to fish, he will live forever.
i writhe like the fins of a sting-ray , thrashing on the
beach
Spread mats in the house for the visitors, Let the
house look good for the visitors!, Sweep the marae,
cook food for the visitors!
Man passes away, but the land endures forever.
The Quail springs up, you're found! Go and get
yourself wings, go and turn into a bird!
Just as work consumes sandstone, it also consumes
people. (Tahu)
Kokomuka is the wood used to cook the moa. (Tahu)
it is the dew, the tears that Raki cried for Papa.
(Tahu)
The pools of frozen water, the pools of bounty, the
pools dug by the hand of man. (Tahu)
Smoke on land is a sign of life, mist on the ocean is a
sign of caution. (Tahu)
The tide is right out. (Said of a person when their
strength is gone) . (Tahu)
Do not leave it to a snare made from undressed flax
to be rained on, beaten by the sun and blown by the
wind, but instead make it from the ti or the whitau so
that it may be rained on, beaten by the sun, blown by
the wind and never be broken. (Tahu)
When i move so you will move with me. (Tahu)
Morning mists, ice, snow and the rain, descendants of
Raki and Papa, the shoots from which summer
grows. (Tahu)
Lest you be like an incomplete canoe all the days of
your life. Do what needs to be done lest you regret it.
(Tahu)
Yes!, The sun from the third and seventh months.
(Tahu)
Korekore was considered lazy because he only
pretended to hunt all the while ate the food gathered
by others. (Tahu)
He ika kai ake i raro, he rapaki ake i
raro.
Ko Tane horo
Pikipiki motumotu, ka hokia he
whanaunga
He korerorero te kai a te rangatira
E tu tama wa’ine i te wa o te kore
Ka mate ano te mate, ka ora ano a’au
E whiti koe ki rawahi, me haere tonu
atu koe
E ua patapata nunui, ka mate au
Ka whati te ti, ka wana te ti, ka rito te ti
Ka puta koe ki te whaiao ki te ao
marama
Ta te rangatira tana kai he korero, ta te
whare he muhukai
Taranaki waewae hakoko
Ko te kokomuka te rakau i tunua ai te
moa
He mahi kai hoaka, he mahi kai takata.
(Hastings Tipa)
Ukuikui ai ki te hoaka
'E pakihi e hakinga a kai.
Ehara i te takata kotahi ano i oho ai i
neherā
i hea koe i te ao o te kowhai?
Akuanei, i te ata ko taua takata ano, a,
i te awatea pea ko taua takata ano.
(Maru kai tatea)
As a fish begins to nibble from below, so the ascent of
a hill begins from the bottom. (Wars often arise from
the most trifling causes.)
it is Tane the speedy (The birds are the children of
Tane, and the proverb makes reference to their
power of flight)
He is constantly returning whenever the fire is lit to
make his claim as a relative (used of a troublesome
relative who frequently comes to share the food, but
is not prepared to help in the work of cultivating it)
Discussion is the food or sustenance of chiefs. (He
tuhituhi Maori, J Foster).
Rise up women in times of absence (Taranaki)Ru the
greedy dies, Ru the careful lives.
When death itself is dead, i myself shall be alive
(Taranaki)
When you get across the sea, go right on.
if it rains heavily, i shall have died (Willy)
When a cabbage tree is broken it shoots up and
grows a new head of leaves
You will come forth to the light of day, the world of
light.
Speech is the food of a chief - the ignorant person is
inattentive
A saying applied to the Taranaki tribe on account of
their practice of witchcraft
There is a proper thing for every job. (lit) Kokomuka is
the wood which was used to cook the moa (as
nothing else did the job so well, ie: burnt hot enough,
and for long enough).
Anything worthwhile requires considerable effort. (lit)
Just as work consumes sandstone, so it consumes
people (and each will be replaced, several times,
before the job is completed).
You will need to soften him up a bit to achieve your
goal.
Don't be fooled by superficial appearances. (lit) A
seemingly empty plain will reveal its food sources (if
you know where to look and can recognise the foods
when you see it).
There can be more than one version of a story and
each has its own mana. (lit) There was not just one
person alive in the old days (and each will have
descendants alive today)
Same message as in \The Little Red Hen\, everyone
wants to share in the results but none want to do the
hard work (lit) Where were you at the time of the
kowhai (when it was flowering; that is,
springtime/planting time).
Don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today, or:
strike while the iron is hot. (lit) The person who is
there now, this morning, may still be there at dawn.
(often quoted, in English, as: \A bird tastes just as
good today as it will tomorrow\)
Taria atu e koe ana tai timu, ana tai
pari. (Tukiauau)
Ko te reoreo a kea ki uta, ko te
whakataki mai a toroa ki tai, or, he
kotuku ki te raki, he kakapo ki te
whenua
Ka kai i taona ai e Rehua
Ka timu te tai, ka kau te torea, ka ina te
harakeke a Hine-rakai. (Parakiore)
Ko taepaepa ka waewae o Te Ra.
Ka hika ta Kati Mamoe, he kokopu nui.
Naia te toa o Tarewai, kei a ia ano tana
patu. (Tarewai)
Noku te korikori tahi. (Marukaitatea)
Ma ka hutawa ka haere te takata.
Auahi, au ora; aumoana, aua tonu atu.
He titi rere ao ka kitea, he titi rere po e
kore e kitea.
Ko te kokopu te kai a Maui.
He titi huatahi
He titi whangaia tahi
Kua pakoa te tai.
Kei waiho koe hei tawai i ka ra o to
oraka. (Tu te Urutira)
Ko te kai a te rakatira he korero; ko ta
te ware he muhukai.
He puna hauaitu, he puna waimarie,
he puna karikari.
All in good time, Hei te wa! (lit) Wait until the tide has
ebbed and flowed.
Everything has its rightful place (lit) The voice of the
kea is heard inland and the cry of the albatross is
heard at sea, or, a kotuku in the sky, a kakapo on the
ground.
Some things cannot be sped up; all in good time. (lit)
The foods cooked (ripened) by Rehua (the summer).
Don't count your chickens before they are hatched,
strike while the iron is hot. (lit) The oystercatcher gets
shellfish when the tide is ebbing (but not for long) and
the flax of Hine Rakai is still being steeped (in water
as part of its preparation).
Hurry up or you'll be too late. (lit) The sun's legs are
hanging down (Over the hole that he dissapears into
at night).
it's only worth fighting over something really
worthwhile. (lit) When Kati Mamoe fall, its a big fish
indeed. (Kokopu was the one resource, in traditional
times, where the really big ones were eaten. Usually
the big ones - the breeding stock - were allowed to
run free).
Don't do anything until you are properly prepared, but
properly prepared, youre ready for anything. (lit)Here
is Tarewai's real worth, as he has his patu back
again.
i'll do it my own way and to hell with the
consequences! (lit) Mine is the first effort.
Same as \Ma nga huruhuru ka rere te manu\, You
have to have the right things to be able to do a job.
(lit) By ones legs one can move around.
Don't react to a sign which is meaningless; wait until
there's some substance. (lit) Smoke from the fire is a
sign of life, a current at sea signifies nothing in
particular. (We can see that somebody has lit the
fire).
Don't chase shadows. (lit) Titi (Muttonbirds) which fly
by day can be seen, those which fly by night cannot.
Kokopu was the food of Maui. (an ancestor of mana
and long ago)
All our eggs are in the one basket (lit) Muttonbird of
one chick.
Make the most of what you get, or: don't be greedy
(don't look a gift horse in the mouth). (lit) Muttonbird
fed only once.
Said of a person in old age when their strength has
gone (lit)The tide has gone right out.
if you don't do what needs to be done you'll always
regret it. (lit)Lest you be like an incomplete canoe
(without rarawa, or side pieces) all the days of your
life.
We all have our own concerns (lit)While our leaders
discuss important matters, the man in the street is
busy keeping alive. (Bill Gillies, )
Frozen pools, bountiful pools, manmade pools.
He taurekareka koe, no roto i te
kakakaiamio; i puta mai koe i roto i te
pohatu paremoremo, i te aruhe
taratara
Kakari kaihiku, kia haere kai upoko
(Ruapapa)
Me hara mai i te tuara nui o te awatea
Na takaroa, na takahe
Au ai tೠai ora, au ai moe, au ai mate
Kotahi Mano Kāika, Kotahi Mano
Wawata.
Nö muri i te waha o te takata.
Nö mua i te waha o kā manu karaka ai.
Ka timu te tai, ka pao te torea.
Au ai tü au ora .
Au ai moe au mate .
You are a low born no-account. Descended from
scavengers for food, escapees from the slippery
stones (of the cooking ovens), fit only to be clad in
rough mats of bracken leaves\. By Tnhaitara to
Marukore, belittling his ancestry. (see his whakapapa
for Kakakaiamio, Pohatu paremoremo and Aruhe
taratara. All are Waitaha Tipuna).
Statement made by Ruapapa when Parakiore and
Tuahuriri, in dividing up the food for the taua, gave
him and his men the heads and kept the tails for
themselves. Now an instruction to share resources
equally as in the ensuing battle (at Ka raka a
Hineatea, near Moeraki) the Canterbury contingent
(without Ruapapa's group) were defeated. (Although
Wheke killed Matauira, father of Te Hau).
You should travel on the back of daybreak. (Another
saying about the importance of timing, for those who
are prone to leaving things until the last minute and
then finding the party has left without them. When the
complaints start rolling in about ‘you didn’t wait for
me’, and ‘i was just in my room’, and ‘i was too tired to
get out of bed’, this is a good response.)
Lateness brings problems. (Another translation could
be†Come late, miss ou. This whakatauu+ is about
not doing things at the time they should have been
done and the problems that arise as a result. This
could be in reference to the last minute stress of your
teenager who left his or her homework to the last
minute and is fretting about their exam the next day
Or the child that came home late for dinner without
letting their parents know where they were, only to
find – kua mahiti – it’s already been consumed by
their hungry siblings! Huh! That’ll teach em!
Smoke and live, sleep and die. Just to clarify �this
isn�t referring to cigarettes �this is an old Kai Tahu
whakatauki which refers to the smoke of fires which
symbolised activity, cooking food, warming the
whanau. This whakatauki is similar to another
commonly heard whakatauki
A thousand homes, achieving a thousand aspirations
Will once again return to the mouths of man
A language so long merely whispered by birdsong
We must seize the day
If it is spoken it will live
If it sleeps it will die
Lest the opportunity slip forever from the hands of our
Koi kaheko te tuna i te rikarika o te iwi.
people
Kauraka e waiho hai moa e hau i te
Don’t allow it to be as statue motionless in the wind
kai.
Kauraka e waiho tö tātou reo kia mate
Don’t leave our language to die a rotting death
pïrau.
Ki kā moka katoa, o Te Waipounamu
In all corners of our land
e.
Kia roko anö i te hü o Moho.
That it’s rare sound may once again be heard
Me he manawa tïtï, me töna hirika.
With the famed strength and perseverance of the tïtï
Kia rere, kia pïataata me he kuru
auhuka.
Whakahokia mai anö töhoku reo ki öku
kutu.
Au ai tü au ora.
That it may flow freely, and shine like a precious
pounamu
May my language return once more to my lips
If it is spoken it will live
Lest the opportunity slip forever from the hands of our
Koi kaheko te tuna i te rikarika o te iwi.
people
Kauraka e waiho hai moa e hau i te
Don’t allow it to be as statue motionless in the wind
kai.
Kauraka e waiho tö tātou reo kia mate
Don’t leave our language to die a rotting death
pïrau.
Ā, haere ake nei?.
forevermore?
I rere kurï noa i te tai o maumahara?. To float aimlessly on the tide of one’s memories
Arā ka noho paeka tai.
To That it be left as mere driftwood
Ko tënei te utu o te mahi kai takata?.
Is this the price paid for the generations of struggle?
Kia uaina e te ua.
And showered by the rain
Kia whitikia e te rā.
To be burnt by the sun
I waiho noa te kupeka taoka nei.
This treasured net abandoned
(C) 2002-2003 Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu . Te Waka Reo Unit.