taken from the site: Glossary of Maori - English words


MAORI WORD - ENGLISH MEANING

Ariki
-chief of noble birth, priest

Hangi
- earth oven

Hapu
- subdivision of a tribe, or sub tribe

Hongi
- a greeting, by the pressing of noses

Hui
- gathering together of people for discussion, or to socialise

Iwi
- a tribe which traces descent from a common ancestor or ancestors

Mana
- prestige, authority, power or psychic force

Marae
- sacred meeting place, situated within a village


Mere
- a short weapon usually made of whalebone, wood or greenstone

Moko
- tattoo, which can be either on the face, arms, thighs or buttocks

Pa
- a village; settlement or fortified area of a tribe or sub-tribe

Pakeha
- European (also used in earlier times as reference to traders, settlers, missionaries...)

Rahui
- prohibition; the setting aside of a place or thing for a specified time ; permanent reservation of land for a specific purpose

Runanga
- tribal or public assembly, conference, council

Tangata whenua
- Literally, a person of the land or people belonging to a tribal region; hosts as distinct from visitors

Tangi
- to weep, grieve, mourn or cry

Tangihanga
- a ceremony of mourning

Tohunga
- a healer or a priest ; an expert in traditional lore or a person skilled in a particular activity

Utu
- revenge, recompense, reward, price, payment ; repayment in goods ; retribution in battle to the death

Waiata
- song ; to chant or to sing

Whanau l
- iterally - to be born or to give birth. Family or an extended family

Whare
- A house, or a dwelling

Whare wananga
- A university, or a learning place

Whenua
- literally - afterbirth; land, ground, earth, a country