Glossary of Māori Terms and Phrases
At the museum on Puke-ahu
| He waiata mō ngā taonga |
A song for the treasures |
| Tapu |
Sacred |
| Taonga |
Treasure(s) |
| Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau |
Dictionary of NZ Biography, Volume I, Māori edition |
| Karakia |
Prayer |
| Haka |
Posture dance |
| Whaikōrero |
Speech |
| Waiata |
Song |
| Tohunga |
Priest |
| Tāngata whenua |
People of the land |
| Kaumātua |
Elder |
| Manuhiri |
Guest(s) |
| Koha |
Gift |
| Marae |
Courtyard of meeting house |
| Whakapapa |
Genealogy |
| Whare whakairo |
Carved house |
| Te Hau-ki-Tūranga |
Meeting house in National Museum |
| Tāwhirimatea |
God of winds |
| Āwhinatia mai, Arohatia rā |
Give help, show compassion |
E Waka!
| Tāngata whenua |
People of the land |
| Tūpuna |
Ancestors |
| E Waka! |
Canoes |
History lesson
| Urupā |
Burial ground |
| Whakapapa |
Genealogical table |
Grammar
| Tēnei |
This |
| Tēnā |
That (near you) |
| Tērā |
That (away from us) |
| Tika |
Correct |
What I’d like
| Papatūānuku |
Mother earth |
| Tangaroa |
God of the sea |
Let go, unlearn, give back
*This glossary of terms is taken directly from J. C. Sturm’s Dedications (1996) and Postscripts (2000) and organised as per the original publication, with each poem having its own section. On the occasion of republishing this selection of her poems we have added the Māori language glyph, which was not in common usage at the time of initial publication but now is. The macron indicates a longer vowel sound and can also denote the plural. The addition of the macron was done in consultation with Sturm’s son, John Baxter.
Additional Glossary**
| Māori |
Indigenous person of Aotearoa New Zealand—a new use of the word resulting from Pākehā contact in order to distinguish between people of Māori descent and the colonisers. |
| Pākehā |
New Zealander of European descent—probably originally applied to English-speaking Europeans living in Aotearoa New Zealand. |
| Whānau |
Extended family, family group, a familiar term of address to a number of people—the primary economic unit of traditional Māori society. In the modern context, the term is sometimes used to include friends who may not have any kinship ties to other members. |
| Iwi |
Extended kinship group, tribe, nation, people, nationality, often refers to a large group of people descended from a common ancestor and associated with a distinct territory. |
| Mauri |
Life principle, life force, vital essence, special nature, a material symbol of a life principle, source of emotions—the essential quality and vitality of a being or entity. Also used for a physical object, individual, ecosystem, or social group in which this essence is located. |
| Tikanga |
Correct procedure, custom, habit, lore, method, manner, rule, way, code, meaning, plan, practice, convention, protocol—the customary system of values and practices that have developed over time and are deeply embedded in the social context. |
**These definitions are taken from the Māori Dictionary online.