Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

muka

1. (noun) prepared flax fibre.

He harakeke iraira, he mumura te kākāriki o ngā whā, he kōwhai ngā tāekaeka, he karaka ngā tapa me te tuaka, he mā, he mōhinuhinu te muka o tēnei harakeke (PK 2008:603). / A variegated flax, with bright green leaves, yellow stripes, orange edges and midrib, while the fibre of this flax is white and shiny.

Show example

Hide example

muka

1. unexpanded shoot of nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida).


2. used also of the ara, or by way of, by which an atua communicates with the medium.

parakoka

1. (noun) harakeke leaf scrapings, leaf waste from scraping harakeke for muka.

Ka riro te parakoka o te muka, ka hīeweewe te muka, ko ngā kaka kau (W 1971:49). / The waste of the muka is taken off, thus separating the muka, and leaving only the fibre.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) black bream, parore, Girella tricuspidata - a silvery grey to grey-brown fish with vertical dark bars along the sides. Body oval and compressed with a small mouth. Most common in shallow waters around the northeastern North Island.

See also parore

Synonyms: muritea, ngāoheohe

arawa

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from the Rotoiti area which yields good, clean muka, but is also used for making piupiu.  Ideal for whenu and aho in kākahu and for muka kete.

tānekaha

1. (noun) celery pine, Phyllocladus trichomanoides - a tall forest tree with long, fan-like and leathery leaves which look like celery leaves. Has grey-brown mottled bark. The bark was used for dyeing muka for the tan colour.

Synonyms: tāwaiwai, nīko, ahotea

raurākau

1. (noun) manono, kanono, large-leaved coprosma, Coprosma grandifolia - a small native shrub to 6 m tall of lowland forests with pale bark and leathery-large leaves which are olive-green and wavy-edged. Flowers are greenish-white, spindly, in loose clusters. Its reddish orange berries are attractive to birds. The bark is used for producing the yellow colouring when dyeing muka.


2. (noun) rangiora, Brachyglottis repanda - a small tree to 6 m tall with very large, dull green, soft leaves which are white and felted underneath and have wavy edges. Tiny fragrant flowers cover the tree during spring and early summer. Found in both the North and South Islands.

kohunga

1. (noun) superior variety of harakeke from Ngāti Maniapoto used for muka. Tall, rather droopy blue-green blades. Glaucous blue-green on underside. Black margin and keel. Many very tall flower heads with small seed pods. Used for the whenu in finest kākahu and for raranga and kete.

Ko te kohunga he harakeke roa, he raupeka ngā whā kānapanapa, he pango ngā tapa me te tuaka, he harakeke tino pai mō te whatu korowai (PK 2008:283). / Kohanga is a long New Zealand flax, the dark green leaves droop, the edges and spine are black and this is an excellent variety for weaving korowai cloaks.

Show example

Hide example

atewheke

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from Taranaki suitable for stripping and raranga. Tall, bendy leaves. Interesting looking bush showing blades of several different shades. Some older ones quite yellow with black margins and keel. Young blades bronze with red veining on margins and keel. Good for whāriki and kete. Not suitable for muka.

hāro

1. (verb) (-a) to soar.

He māmā ia te manu ki te hāro haere i ngā takiwā nei, ki te whakahou i ngā tirohanga kanohi o ngā rā ka huri nei (TP 1/1/1900:8). / But it's easy for a bird to soar over these regions to view again familiar landscapes.

Show example

Hide example


2. (verb) (-a) to scrape clean, scrape - used especially with scraping flax for muka.

Tētahi mahi nui e taea e koutou ko te mahi hāro muka (TWM 28/10/1870:4). / One of the main activities that you are able to do is scraping flax.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pākēkē, waru, wani, harakuku, rakaraka, raraku, tīwani, honihoni, kauhoro, kowani, raku, tuakuku, okoi, rakuraku, weku, hākuku, whawharo, tahitahi, waruwaru, wharowharo, kaku, waku, wakuwaku


3. (verb) to be very low (of the tide).

Hāro ana te tai nei (W 1971:38). / This tide is very low.

Show example

Hide example


4. (modifier) calm, smooth (of the sea).

He au hāro (W 1971:38). / A calm sea.

Show example

Hide example


5. (modifier) scraping.

E kōrerotia ana mea ake hangaia e te Pākehā he mira hāro muka i te taha ki Waikouaiti, i ō Ngāi Tahu (TWM 27/5/1869:6). / It is being said that a mill for scraping flax fibre will soon be built near Waikouaiti in Ngāi Tahu territory.

Show example

Hide example


6. (noun) scraping.

Kei Wairau nei te tapahi witi me te patu anō; me te parau whenua, me te hāro muka (TWMNT 27/8/1873:104). / Here in Wairau there is reaping and threshing wheat, ploughing land and scraping flax fibre.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: raraku, honihoni, hākuku, waruwaru

ngaro

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from the Moutoa swamp, Foxton. Very tall (up to 3 metres) and straight. Bush has dark, bronzy-green appearance. The young blades are a distinct bronze shade and are relieved by a scarlet line along the centre of the blades. Produces silky muka, but is also used for piupiu and kete. Ideal for whenu and aho in cloaks. Recognised last century as one of the best cultivars for milling. Strong, hard fibre, well suited for cordage.

mākoi

1. (noun) cockle shell.


2. (noun) mussel shell - used for separating the muka from the harakeke leaf.


3. (noun) barbed point (of a spear).

Ko te mākoi o tōna here he pounamu (W 1971:171). / The point of his spear was of greenstone.

Show example

Hide example


4. (noun) pointed question.

Kāore te Minita e whakautu i ngā mākoi a Hoani Kemara. / The Minister would not answer the pointed questions of John Campbell.

Show example

Hide example


5. (noun) comb.

See also heru

tāpoto

1. (verb) (-ria,-tia) to shorten, truncate.


2. (noun) variety of harakeke from Hawke's Bay. Superior variety with strong, straight, short narrow blades tapering to a sharp point. Pale yellow-green leaves with bright orange keel and margins. Very fine, tall flower stalks. Muka variety and very good for kaitaka, whāriki, kete and piupiu.

Ka whenutia te tāroa hei whenu; ko te tāpoto, hei aho tēnā (W 1971:385). / The lesser quality flax is twisted as a warp strand; the superior quality flax, that's for the weft strand.

Show example

Hide example

ipu kōrero

1. (noun) rattle-type objects - poi or other objects made from dried flax leaves that have curled into straw-like tubes with handles woven from muka (flax fibre).

korowai

1. (noun) cloak ornamented with black twisted tags or thrums - the illustration is of the korowai, Te Whiringa Rongomaiwhiti, woven by Gloria Taituha of Ngāti Maniapoto. The feathers of the korowai are of pūkeko (dark blue) and kererū (white).

Ki te hunga ki tōna whakaaro e tika ana, makere noa ana i a ia te patu pounamu, te kete, te tāniko, te korowai, te tokotoko tae noa ki tana mako tautau, tēnei rā tētahi o āna tino taonga (TTR 1998:208). / He gave to visitors he thought worthy, greenstone clubs, flax baskets, tāniko weaving, korowai cloaks, walking sticks and even one of his priceless shark's-tooth ear pendants.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) cloak - in modern Māori this is sometimes used as a general term for cloaks made of muka (New Zealand flax fibre).

He whero ngā huruhuru o te taha whakararo o ngā parirau o te kākā. Ka rangaa he korowai mō te tāngata whakahirahira i ēnei huruhuru (Te Ara 2014). / The feathers under the wings of kākā are red. These feathers were woven into cloaks for important people.

Show example

Hide example

ahotea

1. (noun) tānekaha, celery pine, Phyllocladus trichomanoides - a tall forest tree with long, fan-like and leathery leaves which look like celery leaves. Has grey-brown mottled bark. The bark was used for dyeing muka for the tan colour.

See also tānekaha

Synonyms: tāwaiwai, nīko, tānekaha

ate

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from Whanganui river district with tall, straight, wide, dark blue-green blades with a definite blue bloom on the underside of the leaves. Margin and keel very dark reddish brown. No kōrari. May be used for piupiu and muka.

makaweroa

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from the eastern Bay of Plenty. Medium height, fairly straight, strong, soft leaf. Pale green with orange-brown margin and keel. Very few kōrari. Seldom flowers. Excellent muka flax. Makes strong raranga.

ngutunui

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from Ngāti Maniapoto. Short, bendy variety smudged with reddish shadings on sides and tips of blades. Overall bush has a yellow-bronze appearance particularly in the older leaves. Good for kete and whāriki if blades are long enough. Can produce good muka for whenu in kete, wall-hangings, etc. Said to be highly prized for making fine mats and cloaks.

pango

1. (adjective) be black, dark in colour.

E rite ana te kara ki te waikura rino nei, ko ētahi he kākāriki, ko ētahi he pango, ko ētahi he mā, ko ētahi he mā tū-ā-whero nei (TWMNT 24/2/1874:52). / The colour is like rusty iron, some are green, some black, some white, and some of a pale red.

Show example

Hide example


2. (modifier) black, dark in colour.

He nui anō te whai rawa o te iwi kiri pango i te koura, i te hiriwa, i te peara me ngā kōhatu utu nui me te whenua (TPH 15/8/1900:2). / The blacks have great wealth in gold, silver, pearls and precious stones and land.

Show example

Hide example


3. (noun) variety of harakeke from Tawatapu district, south of Gisborne. Short, bendy variety. Overall bush has a dark appearance. Rito blades are a bronze colour. Reddish-brown margin and keel. Brownish-purple kōrari. Flowers well. used for green kete harakeke. Not good for muka.

pōtaka

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from Te Tai Rāwhiti. Good raranga flax. Makes strong kete and ideal for whāriki. Not heavy enough for piupiu. Not a muka flax.

New favourites & quiz!

The Te Aka Māori Dictionary mobile app now has the ability to sort your favourite words into folders. Plus, these folders can be turned into a quiz for a fun way to learn words and definitions. Download or update the app today!

iOS Android

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00