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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kapa haka

1. (noun) concert party, haka group, Māori cultural group, Māori performing group.

Hei ngā ahiahi pō ka akona te hunga mātātahi e tētehi tautōhito ki te haka, ā, whakatūria ana e Te Puea tētehi kapa haka, ko Te Pou o Mangatāwhiri te ingoa (TTR 1996:46). / In the evenings an expert in haka taught the young people to perform, and Te Puea formed a cultural group named Te Pou o Mangatawhiri.

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See also haka

tū ā-kapa

1. (noun) kapa haka formation.

Ko te tū ā-kapa tētahi āhuatanga matua hei whakaaroaro mā te kaiako, e wana ai ngā mahi i runga i te atamira (RMR 2017). / The kapa haka formation is an important aspect for the tutor to consider so that the activities on the stage are awe-inspiring.

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aroaro-ā-kapa

1. (noun) front rank of the kapa haka, front row.

E ai ki te mahara ake o tētehi o te minenga ki a Mere e wani mai ana i te whatārangi kia tū ai ki te aroaro-ā-kapa, ki reira haka tahi atu ai me rātau me te puta o te ihi, o te wana (TTR 1998:1). / One member of the audience remembered Mere gliding across the stage to stand in the front row of the haka group to join them in the haka with great excitement and gusto.

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taihuringa

1. (noun) turning point.

Ko te taihuringa o te paki te wāhanga e tino kaha ai te manawapā, ā, koia hoki te tīmatanga o ngā mahi e tau ai te puehu ā tōna wā (RMR 2017). / The turning point of the story was the part where the tension was really strong and that was the beginning of the activities whereby the dust would settle.

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2. (noun) revolving movement in kapa haka.

Ko te taihuringa, arā, ka huri āmio te rōpū i te kaihaka o waenganui pū (RMR 2017). / Taihuringa is the group circling around the performer in the centre.

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whakaheke

1. (verb) (-a) to cause to descend, let down, lower, shed (tears).

I te raumati ka kapi katoa ngā awa nui i te kahupapa rākau e whakaheke ana ki ngā mira (TWMNT 17/9/1873:109). / In summer the main rivers are all covered with timber rafts being guided down to the mills.

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2. (verb) (-a) to decrease, reduce, lower.

I kī mai a Māminga nāna i whakaheke te utu o tana waka, he pai nōna ki a au. Mēnā e hokona ana ki tētahi atu, kua kotahi mano tāra atu anō. Rangi: Tēnā rūkahu tēnā. Kaua e arohia atu ngā whakapatipati a tēnā kutu (HKK 1999:65). / Pare: Māminga (Deceitful) said that he reduced the price of his vehicle because he liked me. If he was selling it to someone else it would have been one thousand dollars more. Rangi: That's a load of rubbish. Don't take any notice of that vermin's smooth talk.

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3. (verb) (-a) to hand down, bequeath, pass down.

Ka whakaaria atu ki a Puhihuia, ka mea atu a ia, "E kō, tēnā tō patu, te patu a tō matua i whakahekea mai ki a au tā tātou manatunga mau ai, tēnā tō patu hei koha māu ki ō tātou ariki i Āwhitū" (TAH 45/1963:20). / He showed it to Puhihuia, saying, "Young woman, that is your weapon, the weapon of your father, which he gave to me as our heirloom to hold onto, and that is your weapon for you as your gift to our high chiefs at Awhitū."

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4. (noun) rope, rigging - used particularly for ropes supporting and controlling sails.

Me niko mai te whakaheke (W 1971:222). / The rope should be coiled.

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5. (noun) facial gesture in kapa haka.

Ko te whakaheke, koia te momo whakapī e miramira ai te kauae (RMR 2017). / The whakaheke is the type of grimace that highlights the chin.

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6. (noun) haka stance.

Ko te whakaheke: Ka toro whakamuri te waewae matau me te paku piko o ngā turi (RMR 2017). / The whakaheke stance: The right leg extends backwards and the knees are slightly bent.

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tū kapa

1. (noun) upright stance in haka with feet side by side, slightly apart.

Ko te tū kapa, te tū wahine rānei: He matika te tū, e paku pirara ana ngā waewae (RMR 2017). / The tū kapa or female stance: The stance is upright and the feet are a little apart.

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whakawhitiwhiti rua

1. (noun) type of foot movement in kapa haka.

Ko te whakawhitiwhiti rua: He rite ki te tūwaewae takahia, engari ka huri hoki te tinana ki mauī ki matau (RMR 2017). / The whakawhitiwhiti rua foot movement: Similar to the tūwaewae takahia foot movement, but the body also turns left and right.

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kurutao

1. (noun) arrowhead formation of a kapa haka group.

Ko te kurutao tētahi momo tū ā-kapa e rite ana ki te upoko tao te āhua o te tū. / The kurutao is a type of formation of a kapa haka group that is like the shape of the head of a spear.

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tīrakaraka

1. (noun) fantail, Rhipidura fuliginosa - a small, friendly, insect-eating bird of the bush and domestic gardens which has a distinctive tail resembling a spread fan.

See also tīrairaka


2. (noun) type of foot movement in kapa haka.

Ko te tīrakaraka: He reretau te peke ngātahi a te rōpū i runga parowae, ki mauī ki matau, ki mua ki muri (RMR 2017). / The tīrakaraka foot movement: The simultaneous jumping of a group on the balls of their feet to left and right and forward and back.

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tūwaewae takahia

1. (noun) type of foot movement in kapa haka.

Ko te tūwaewae takahia: He māmā te peke i ngā parowae me te piu whakamuri o te waewae matau. Ka paku tīrara te tau o ngā waewae ki te papa, ā, ka whiu hoki i ngā ringa ki waho, ki waenga (RMR 2017). / The tūwaewae takahia foot movement: The bouncing on the balls of the feet and the swinging of the right leg is gentle. The feet land on the ground a little apart and the arms are thrown out and into the centre.

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aroākapa

1. (noun) front rank (of a kapa haka, etc.), front row.

Unuhia i te rito o te harakeke, ka tū i te aroākapa (M 2005:10). / Plucked like the centre shoot of the flax, as you stood in the foremost rank (M 2005:11).

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taparere

1. (verb) to be cut short, truncated, restricted, limited, constrained.

He aha te pai o te whakatupu i te kai kotahi, kia taparere ai ki te taewa anake, te kānga anake rānei? (TWMNT 21/3/1876:70). / What good is it in growing just one crop, so that you are restricted to only potatoes or only corn?
He mea tuhi taua pitihana ki te reo Pākehā, i tino taparere ki ngā kupu rōia (TWMNT 11/1/1879:233). / The petition was written in English, and was restricted to legal phraseology.

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Synonyms: tūpā, kōpiri


2. (modifier) sheer, steep, perpendicular, precipitous.

He ana nui kei raro i taua hiwi i te tatūnga iho o te pari taparere kei te taha moana (NIT 1995:85). / There is a large cave beneath the ridge at the base of the sheer cliff.

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3. (noun) kapa haka formation with alternate rows standing in the gaps.

Ko te taparere: He rite ki te matua, engari he hohoko te tū o ia rārangi ki ngā āputa kei waenganui i ngā kaihaka i te rārangi o mua (RMR 2017). / The taparere formation: It's similar to the traditional formation, but the positions of each line alternate with the gaps between the performers in the line in front.

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kōkiri

1. (verb) (-tia) to thrust forward, attack, call, charge, rush forward.

Mehemea e kapi ana a waho o te ngutu, kōkiritia tonutia ki waenganui tonu o te matua, engari kia inaki tonu te rere o ngā toa hāpai rākau ki mua (JPS 1919:86). / If outside the entrance is closely guarded, attack right at the middle of the army, but rush as a tightly packed group of warriors with weapons raised in front.

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2. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to champion (a cause), promote, advocate, lead.

Rua tekau ngā tau e kōkiri ana ia i ngā kerēme nunui a Te Tai Tokerau ki te Karauna, ko ia tonu tō rātou tino kaiwawao (TTR 1998:137). / For 20 years he championed the important North Auckland claims against the Crown and he was their leading advocate.

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Synonyms: konumatā, taki, matā, whakahaere tikanga, kaea, whakahaere, ārahi, arataki, huataki, tātaki, , whakataki, whaitaki, takitaki


3. (verb) to rise in a column.

I te ata rawa ka kitea te wai e kōkiri ake ana i te moana, ā i kapi katoa taua wāhi i te mamaoa (TWMNT 11/8/1874:206). / In the morning the water was seen rising in a column from the sea and that place was covered with vapour.

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4. (noun) attack, assault, charge, offensive, strike.

Nō te Oketopa ka ārahina e rātou ko Tāreha me ētahi atu o te kāwai rangatira te matua o Heretaunga ki te tuki i te pā o Puketapu. Engari i hanepī te kōkiri (TTR 1994:190). / In October he, Tāreha with some other chiefs led the Hastings contingent to attack Puketapu pā. But the attack was aborted.

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5. (noun) body of men rushing forward, attack party, forward movement of a kapa haka.

Tokoiwa te kōkiri a Rāpata, kotahi tekau tā Piki kōkiri (W 1971:130). / Robert's attack party was nine men, that of Piki was ten.

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6. (noun) advocacy, promotion, backing, championing.

I te tau 1924 i tētahi huihuinga a te whakaminenga o te Hāhi, ka mana te kōkiri a te rōpū taituarā o Tumutara kia whakatūria a ia hei ūpoko mō te Hāhi Ringatū, arā, ko tōna ingoa hāhi ko pīhopa (TTR 1998:231). / At an assembly of the congregation of the Church in 1924, the advocacy of Tumutara’s supporters succeeded in getting him elected head of the Ringatū Church with the church title of bishop.

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Synonyms: taunaki, tautoko


7. (noun) meteor.

See also kōtiritiri


8. (noun) leatherjacket, Parika scaber - a fish, uniform or mottled greenish grey. Body ovate, diamond-shaped, compressed.

ahuahungāroa

1. (noun) movement of the body turning left and right (in a kapa haka performance).

Ko te ahuahungāroa tēnei: Ka huri te kapa ki mauī ki matau, ki mauī ki matau, me te whai manawataki a ngā ringa me ngā waewae (RMR 2017). / This is the left and right turning movement: The haka performers turn left and right, with the arms and legs in rhythm.

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matua

1. (verb) to be adult, grown-up.

Tēnā kia matua ia, he tangata mātau rawa ia, he tangata kaha ki te mahi (TWM 24/10/1871:7). / Now when he is grown-up he will be a clever, industrious person.

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2. (stative) main, chief, important, primary.

Whai muri i te hainatanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi, ka whakatūria e Kāwana Hopihana tana kāwanatanga ki Okiato, ka tapaina e ia te tāone matua hōu, ko Russell (Te Ara 2011). / After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Governor Hobson established his seat of government at Okiato. He named the new capital Russell.

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3. (noun) father, parent, uncle.

Kei te tino hari tōku ngākau kua tū nei koe i te tūranga o tō matua, o Te Wiremu (TTT 1/10/1929:1078). / I am overjoyed that you have taken up the position of your father, the Rev. Williams.

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See also pāpā


4. (noun) division (of an army), company, contingent, the body of the kapa haka.

E kīia ana i te wā e haka ana tētahi o aua matua, ngarue ana te whenua (TKO 30/6/1920:5). / It is said that at the time that one of those groups was performing the haka, the ground shook.

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See also mātua

whakaruru

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to afford shelter, shelter, protect.

I te pō o te 10 o Hune 1886, arā, i te pō o te hū, e 62 ngā tāngata i whakaruruhia e Te Paea i tōna whare i Te Wairoa (TTR 1994:25). / On the night of 10 June 1886, that is the night of the eruption, Sophia sheltered 62 people in her house at Te Wairoa.

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2. (modifier) affording shelter, sheltering, protecting.

Ka whakataua e Whitmore me ruru a Te Urewera, kia kore ai e whai wāhi whakaruru, wāhi whakarato taonga, wāhi taritari ope rānei a Te Kooti me ngā mōrehu kaiārahi i te Hauhau (TTR 1990:384). / Whitmore decided that the Urewera would have to be invaded, so that Te Kooti and the surviving Hauhau leaders wouldn't have a sanctuary and a supply of goods or a recruitment area.

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3. (noun) screen, shelter, protector.

Nō te mea ko ia tō rātou whakaruru, ka whakatūpato atu a Te Whatanui kia kaua e haere (TTR 1990:335). / Because he was their protector, Te Whatanui warned them not to go.

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4. (noun) facial gesture in kapa haka where the enlarged eyes stare in one direction and the tongue protrudes in the opposite direction.

Ko te whakaruru, koia te tiro korotaha o ngā whatu nunui, me te whātero ki taha kē (RMR 2017). / The whakaruru facial gesture is where the enlarged eyes stare sideways and the tongue protrudes in the opposite side.

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piupiu

1. (verb) (-a) to wave about, move to and fro, oscillate, swing, skip (with a rope), wield, brandish.

Tino mīharo ana ngā tamariki o te marae ki te hōiho o te Kōmihana, o John Cullen e kanikani haere mai ana, me te Kōmihana e piupiu mai ana i tana pītara (TTR 2000:246). / The children of the marae admired Commissioner John Cullen’s horse as it danced towards them, with the commissioner waving his pistol.

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2. (noun) skipping, skipping rope.


3. (noun) waist-to-knees garment made of flax - has a wide waistband and is used in modern times for kapa haka performances.

Nā Te Arawa te poi tuatahi, e 50 te matua, he mā te kākahu, he piupiu te paki (TP 1/8/1901:6). / Te Arawa performed the first poi song and there were 50 in their group, with white garments and piupiu as their skirts.

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4. (noun) crown fern, Blechnum discolor - tufted native ground fern with an erect crown of fronds, paler on the undersides. Separate, rather shrivelled, more erect fronds bear the spores. Also spreads from runners to form colonies. Common in drier and open forest.


5. (noun) kiokio, palm-leaf fern, Blechnum novae-zelandiae - a robust native, creeping ground fern with long drooping fronds commonly found on damp road banks and alongside forest streams. Leaflets strap-like and very finely toothed. New growth tinged pink or red.

See also kiokio

Synonyms: tupari, kiokio, horokio


6. (noun) gully fern, Pneumatopteris pennigera - tufted native ground fern, sometimes forming a short thin trunk. Its brown-stalked, pale, dark-veined fronds have 15-30 pairs of long, round-notched leaflets. Common in damp forest gullies.

See also pākauroharoha

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