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Whakataukī
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| He tamariki wāwāhi tahā. | It is children who break the calabash. This proverb can refer to immature behavior, or acceptance of children and their natural childlike actions. |
| E kore te pātiki e hoki ki tōna puehu. | A flounder will not go back to the mud it has stirred up. This proverb can be used to refer to someone not making mistakes twice, or escaping from a past event or action. |
| Kei te heke ngā roimata o Ranginui. | The tears of Ranginui are falling. i.e. it's raining |
| Ko te rourou iti a haere. | A little basket of food for the travelers. |
| Ko te reo te taikura o te whakaao mārama | The language is the key to understanding |
| Mā ihupiro ko momoho | Success is the product of industry |
| Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori | The language is the life force of the mana Māori |
| E mua kai kai e muri kai huare. | The early ones eat food, those who are behind only swallow spittle. i.e. first in, first served. |
| Tangata i ākona i te kāinga, tū ana ki te marae, tau ana | A person who is taught well at home, and then stands on the marae, will be adept. |
| Kaua mā te waewae tutuki, engari mā te upoko pakaru | Persevere with determination, don’t be put off by small obstacles. |
| Ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi | When the old net is cast aside, the new net goes fishing. |
| Mā te tuakana ka tōtika te teina, mā te teina ka tōtika te tuakana | A younger sibling is kept in check by an older sibling and vice versa. |
| Hokia ki tō maunga tapu kia purea ai koe e ngā hau a Tāwhirimātea | Return to your mountains to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea - Refers to the spiritual uplifting that can be gained from one returning to their ancestral and tribal land. |
| Kia mau ki tō Māoritanga | Hold fast to your Māori culture - Encourages us to learn our culture and to never take knowledge for granted. |
| kāore i tua atu i … | (particle) there's nobody better than, there's nothing better than - an idiom used to indicate how exceeding good someone is at a particular activity, or how good something is. |
| Tōku reo, tōku ohoho, tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo, tōku whakakai marihi | My language is my awakening, my language is my growing desire within, my language my ornamental grace - Refers to the importance of the Māori language for one’s well-being. |
| Hohonu kakī, pāpaku uaua | Long on words, short on actions - Refers to a lazy person who talks about doing a lot, yet doesn’t do anything. |
| He māramatanga tō tēnei whetū. He māramatanga tō tērā whetū | Each star has its own luminescence or presence in the sky - Like the stars, each individual has their own personality. |
| Nā tāu rourou, nā tāku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi | With your contribution, and with my contribution, the people will survive and grow - Encapsulates the achievement people can make when they work together. or With your basket, with my basket, everyone will come alive. |
| Okea ururoatia | Never say die - Urges people to persevere and to never give up on achieving their goals and dreams. |
| Ka tika a muri, ka tika a mua, ka rere pai ngā āhuatanga katoa. | If the back is in order, and the front is in order, all will go well. |
| He ora te whakapiri, he mate te whakatakariri | There is strength in unity, defeat in anger - Stresses that more can be achieved when people work together, instead of being uncooperative and working against each other. |
| He kokonga whare e kitea, he kokonga ngākau e kore e kitea. | The corners of a house may be seen, but not the corners of the heart. |
| Kua hinga te tōtara o te Wao-nui-a-Tāne | The tōtara of the Great forest of Tāne has fallen. This expression likens esteemed leaders or chiefs to the great tōtara tree of the forest. The fallen tree is being likened to the death of an important person. |
| Haere ki wīwī, ki wāwā. | Go anywhere you like. This whakataukī can refer to the places you've been or the places you are going. 'Here and there'. |
| He waka eke noa. | A waka for communal use. This whakataukī reinforces the need for team work and can be translated as ‘the canoe which we are all in, without exception’ and ‘we are all in this together’. |
| He hākuwai te manu e karanga tonu ana i tōna ingoa | The hākuwai is a bird who calls their own name - Refers to a person who always boasts about themselves. |
| Kōanga takitahi, Ngahuru puta noa. | In spring, only one comes to plant, in autumn (at harvest time), the masses are seen. |
| Ka eke anō i te puke ki Ruahine. | Someone is growing older. |
| whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei. | Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain. i.e. aim high but particularly, be persistent and don't let obstacles stop you from reaching your goal. |
| Hei te tau tītoki | See you whenever. |
| Kāore i kō atu i a koutou mō te manaaki manuhiri. | Your hospitality can't be matched. |
| He raruraru kei te haere | trouble is brewing, there are dark clouds on the horizon |
| Pipitori ngā kanohi kōkōtaia ngā waewae, whenua i mamao tēnei rawa. | With sharp bird's eyes, and quick moving feet, land at a distance will soon be gained. A saying to inspire the young or to urge travellers on to their destination. |
Created by:
Claire Michelle
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