NZ Scholarship Te Reo Māori key terms

The Māori language itself, also used for voice or a person's way of speaking. In scholarship questions it often means language as a living system carrying identity and mana.

A tribal or regional variety of Māori, distinguished by vocabulary, idiom, pronunciation and idiom of local speakers. Examiners reward awareness that standardisation can flatten these differences.

A colloquial expression or idiom, such as a short exclamation with figurative rather than literal meaning. Correct use shows natural register; mistranslation as literal speech is a common error.

A proverb or significant saying, often attributed to ancestors, used to encapsulate a value or argument. In analysis, candidates should identify its source, meaning and rhetorical purpose rather than merely translate it.

A tribal saying that names a landmark, ancestor or event and asserts identity and connection to place. Often functions like a pepeha of belonging, so context of iwi and whenua matters.

A structured self-introduction naming one's mountain, river, tribe, ancestor and marae. It situates the speaker in relationships and landscape, functioning as a formal statement of identity.

A greeting or speech of welcome, often used for introductions at the start of a gathering. It follows conventions of acknowledgement and may include pepeha material depending on setting.

Genealogy and the layered connections linking people to ancestors, land and the natural world. It is a framework for knowledge and obligation, not merely a family tree.

The principle and practice of relationships, kinship and mutual obligation. In text analysis it explains why characters act for collective rather than individual benefit.

Hospitality, generosity and care for others, expressing the duty to nurture guests and community. It is a value frequently used to interpret behaviour in narrative and speech.

Prestige, authority and spiritual power that may be inherited, earned or diminished by actions. Understanding its dynamic explains motivation and consequence in many texts.

A state of sacred restriction setting something apart and governing how it may be approached. It works alongside mana and noa to regulate behaviour and relationships.

The ordinary or unrestricted state, the counterpart to tapu, often restored through ritual or karakia. Its use marks a return to everyday access and balance.

Reciprocity and balanced exchange, including the obligation to respond to a gift or wrong. It is not simply revenge; context determines whether it restores or escalates.

A gift or contribution offered in recognition of hospitality or occasion, given without a fixed price. Its meaning depends on relationship rather than monetary value.

A prayer, incantation or formal recitation used to open proceedings, bless people or restore balance. It may be Christian or traditional in form depending on context.

A song, including traditional laments and contemporary compositions. Songs carry history and emotion, so analysis should consider composer, occasion and imagery.

A traditional lament or chant, often unaccompanied, expressing grief, love or tribal history. Its dense poetic language and archaic vocabulary are common in scholarship study.

A performed chant with movement, of which there are many types including war, welcome and mourning. It is a composed art form, not a single dance.

A short chant or call used to alert and rouse people, often before a speech or at dawn. It signals the formal start of an occasion.

The high-pitched call by a woman that welcomes visitors onto a marae and links the two groups. Its words acknowledge the dead and the living and open the encounter.

The formal welcome ceremony on a marae, moving through call, speeches, song, hongi and food. Its stages carry protocol meaning that analysis should recognise.

The pressing of noses and foreheads in greeting, symbolising the sharing of breath and life force. It is a formal act of connection rather than casual contact.

The spirit or spiritual dimension of a person, place or action. It is used to explain emotional depth and sacred quality in texts.

Land, and also the placenta, so the word ties people physically to place and birth. This double meaning is frequently exploited in literary analysis.

The people of the land, meaning those with ancestral and customary authority in a place. It defines who holds hosting rights and obligations in protocol settings.

Guardianship and stewardship of land, water and resources on behalf of future generations. It frames environmental responsibility as inherited duty rather than ownership.

Chieftainship, authority and self-determination exercised by a group over its own affairs. Its scope in the Treaty of Waitangi is a central topic in historical texts.

The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, with Māori and English texts whose differences have legal and political consequence. Arguments often hinge on which text and which article is meant.

Governance or government, the term used in the Māori text of the Treaty for the Crown's authority. Its relationship with rangatiratanga is widely debated.

A word, or a message and news in some contexts. In language questions it may refer to vocabulary choice and its effect.

An adjective, literally a describing word. Identifying its function helps in grammar questions and in explaining tone and imagery.

A verb, literally a working word. Recognising verb forms and their particles is essential for accurate translation and sentence analysis.

A simile or comparative expression using 'like' or 'as'. It is a key device for discussing imagery and effect in poetry and prose.

Written language or written register, contrasted with spoken language. Formal essays and reports demand this register, with its conventions of structure and punctuation.

Spoken language and oral register, including features that appear only in speech such as fillers and rhythm. Comparing it with written language is a common analysis task.

Grammar, the system of rules for how words combine and inflect. Questions may test particles, sentence patterns or the correction of errors.