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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

motiha

1. (noun) a dance.

hari

1. (verb) (-a) to dance, sing a song to a dance, lead (a song).

Nā te kuia reo reka te waiata i hari. / The elderly woman with a lovely voice led the song.

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Synonyms:


2. (verb) to be happy, delighted, glad.

Ka hari tōna ngākau ina tae mai taua wā (TKO 1/1914:3). / He will be happy when that time arrives.

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3. (noun) joy, happiness, elation, euphoria, gladness, delight, joyfulness.

E rua ngā mea tino nui e matea ana e te tangata: Ko te ora roa, ko te hari (TP 4/1906:10). / The two main things needed by a person are: A long life and happiness.

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See also harikoa

Synonyms: whāwhāpū, koa, manahau, manamanahau, koanga, koakoa, harikoa, hurō, harakoakoa, whakamanamana, takaahuareka, tūrangahakoa


4. (noun) dance, song to a dance.

Ko tēnei hari nā tētahi wahine pouaru i titotito (TW 3/3/1877:85). / This song to a dance was composed by a widow.

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takahanga waewae

1. (noun) dance step, dance move.

I tētahi kanikani nahanaha, ka tāruaruatia tētahi tauira nekehanga, ētahi takahanga waewae rānei (RMR 2017). / A sequence dance is when some types of movement, or some dance steps, are repeated.

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kanikani patō

1. (noun) tap dancing, tap dance.

kanikani

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

Hei te pō o te Hātarei ka huihui ki taua mahi, ka kanikani, ā ao noa te rā ka rokohanga e te hiamoe (TP 2/1907:2). / On Saturday night they will gather for that activity and dance, and next day they will want to sleep.

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2. (verb) (-a) to rub backwards and forwards, saw.

Otirā meake pai ai, nā te mea e kanikania ana he rākau mō tētahi whare hou, e kore e maha ngā marama kua pai he nohoanga (TWMNT 31/8/1875:195). / But soon it will be fine because timber is being sawn for a new house and it won't be many months before it will be a good place to live.

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Synonyms: kani, orooro


3. (modifier) sawn, milled (of timber).

He rākau kanikani, he pata, ngā utanga mai. / Sawn timber and butter formed the shipment.

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4. (noun) dance, dancing.

Waiho atu ngā rīpene me ngā kākahu o te Pākehā mō ā te Pākehā kanikani (TP 5/1901:3). / Leave the ribbons and Pākehā clothes for the Pākehā dances.

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kōtaratara

1. (modifier) prickly, thorny.

Kia tūpato i ngā rau kōtaratara nei kei kei werohia koe. / Be careful of these prickly leaves in case you're jabbed.

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See also taratara

Synonyms: matara, taratara, tiotio, tuatete, mākinakina, korotiotio, pūtiotio


2. (modifier) piercing, keen, biting.


3. (noun) mountain holly, Māori holly, Olearia ilicifolia - a shrub with long, pointed, stiff, leathery leaves and wavy, sharply toothed edges, hence the English names. During spring the bush is covered in clusters of white daisies. Found from East Cape to Stewart Island.

See also hakeke

Synonyms: hakeke


4. (noun) haka of triumph, dance of triumph, victory dance.

Ko ngā mano Tūru kua heke mai ki tētahi tarawāhi o te awa, ki te tū i tō rātou kōtaratara whawhai (THM 1/4/1886:2). / Thousands of Zulus descended to one side of the river to perform their victory war dance.

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haka

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ina,-tia) to dance, perform the haka, perform.

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 hahaka

Synonyms: whakahua, whakahaere, whakarite, mahi, hahaka, whakatūtū, tapa, whakaatu, whakaataata


2. (modifier) haka performance, posture dance performance, cultural.

Nō te tau 1910, ka pōwhiritia a Mākereti rātau ko tana kapa haka kia taki haere ki tētehi whakakitenga ki Poihākena ki te mahi i ā rātau mahi ngahau i reira (TTR 1996:122). / In 1910 Mākereti and her cultural group were invited to go to a Sydney exhibition to perform.

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See also kapa haka


3. (noun) performance of the haka, posture dance - vigorous dances with actions and rhythmically shouted words. A general term for several types of such dances.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 65-69, 72-74;)

Tika tonu mātou ki te whare hei kākahutanga i ō mātou kahu Māori, e takatū ana mō te haka, tā rawa te kanohi ki te moko (TP 1/12/1902:3). / We went straight to the house to change into our Māori costumes, prepare for the performance and apply the moko to our faces.

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Synonyms: whakatangitangi, whakaaturanga, whakakite, purei

puha

1. (noun) war dance - haka with leaping and performed with long weapons. Similar to a peruperu, using weapons but used to call kinsmen to arms.

Te take o tēnei puha, i hapa i te kai, arā, i te wāwāhanga o te tahua (JPS 1901:76). / The reason for this war dance was that they made an error with the food, that is with the dividing up of the food of the feast.

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tūtū ngārahu

1. (noun) war dance - haka performed with long weapons in which the men jump up and down. Performed by the war party before going into battle, in front of elders and experienced warriors who judged by their performance whether they were ready to go into battle. Also called tūtū ngārehu, tūtū waewae and whakatū waewae.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 65-68;)

Tētahi take nui i whakaaetia e tēnei hui, ko ngā mahi a ngā tūpuna o mua kei ngaro, kia tino mahia nuitia i ēnei rā: Ngā whakataukī, ngā waiata Māori, ngā pepeha, me ngā tikanga katoa o ngā mea, me ngā harihari, tūtū ngārahu, me ngā hari kai (TP 8/1909:11). / An important matter that was agreed to by the meeting was the activities of the ancestors of former times that these should be used widely today: The aphorisms, Māori songs, tribal sayings and the customary practices of everything, the songs to unite people in a common purpose, war dances and songs for presenting food.

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whakahaka

1. (verb) (-ngia,-hia) to make someone dance or perform a haka.

whakatū waewae

1. (noun) war dance - haka with weapons in which the men jump up and down. Performed by the war party before going into battle, in front of elders and experienced warriors who judged by their performance whether they were ready to go into battle. Also called tūtū ngārahu, tūtū ngārehu and tūtū waewae.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 65-68;)

Ka noho ki te haka, ki te whakatū waewae, ka whakatumatuma ake ki tā rātou tangata (TWK 3:15). / They set about performing posture dances and haka with weapons and acting defiantly up at their man.

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See also tūtū ngārahu

poi

1. (verb) (-a) to toss up, swing the poi, toss up and down, toss about.

Kāore i taro kua eke te waka nei ki runga o te maunga e kīia ana tōna ingoa ko te Hiwi-ki-Mata-terā, haere tonu; Anana! anō rā hoki a 'Tākitimu' kei runga tonu i te ringa tangata e poia ana (JPS 1908:94). / Before long the canoe rested on the mountain known as the Hiwi-ki-Mataterā. Then along it went. Wondrously! 'It was as if 'Tākitimu' was being tossed about upon someones hands.

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2. (verb) (-a) to knead, make into balls.

Ka poia te parāoa. / The flour was made into balls.

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Synonyms: pōpō, pokepoke, poke, kāuto


3. (noun) poi - a light ball on a string of varying length which is swung or twirled rhythmically to sung accompaniment. Traditionally the ball was made of raupō leaves.

Poia atu taku poi, wania atu taku poi (M 2005:202). / Swing afar my poi, skim away my poi.

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4. (noun) poi dance - songs performed, usually by women, in which the poi is swung in various movements to accompany the singing.

Nui atu te mihi ki ngā mahi o te pō, ngā waiata, ngā poi, ngā waiata Māori, Pākehā, me ngā haka taparahi a ngā kaumātua (TTT 1/12/1931:81). / There was much praise for the activities of the night, the songs, the poi, Māori and English songs, and the haka taparahi of the elders.

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5. (noun) sphere.

He āhua ahu-3 te poi, he rite ki te āhua o Papatūānuku. Kotahi te mata kōpiko o te poi, kāore ōna kokonga. He ōrite te tawhiti o ngā pūwāhi katoa o te mata i te pū o te poi (TRP 2010:204). / The sphere is a 3-dimensional shape, similar to the shape of the earth. It has one curved surface with no corners. All points on the surface of a sphere are the same distance from its centre (TRP 2010:204).

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harihari

1. (noun) song, dance, a song to make people pull together.

Tētahi take nui i whakaaetia e tēnei hui, ko ngā mahi a ngā tūpuna o mua kei ngaro, kia tino mahia nuitia i ēnei rā: Ngā whakataukī, ngā waiata Māori, ngā pepeha, me ngā tikanga katoa o ngā mea, me ngā harihari, tūtū ngārahu, me ngā hari kai (TP 8/1909:11). / An important matter that was agreed to by the meeting was the activities of the ancestors of former times that these should be used widely today: The aphorisms, Māori songs, tribal sayings and the customary practices of everything, the songs to unite people in a common purpose, war dances and songs for presenting food.

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hahaka

1. (verb) to dance, perform - frequentative of haka.

Ka mea atu te mōkai rā, ‘He hahaka nōu, he ruhi nōu i te pūkanatanga.' (TAH 9/1963:24) / The slave said, ‘You have tired yourself doing the haka and the pūkana.'

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Synonyms: whakarite, tapa, whakaatu, whakaataata, whakahua, whakahaere, whakatūtū, mahi, haka

ngārahu

1. (verb) to be sooty-black.


2. (noun) ember, cinder.

Kāore anō nei i weto ngā ngārahu o te ahi i mura ai i ngā wā kua pahure (TTT 1/2/1924:11). / The embers of the fire that blazed in past times had not yet been extinguished.

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3. (noun) charcoal, black pigment.

I pania te kanohi ki te ngārahu, ki te kōkōwai rānei (M 2004:62). / The face was smeared with charcoal or red ochre.

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See also ngārehu, ngārehu


4. (noun) leader, commander, military leader.

Ko Tūpaea te ngārahu o Ngāi Te Rangi i te tukinga i Maketū (TTR 1990:13). / Tūpaea was the military leader of Ngāi Te Rangi at the attack at Maketū.

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Synonyms: manu taupua, kaitaki, kaitātaki, kaiārahi, kākākura, pouwhenua, kaiwhakataki, wheao, tumuaki, tumu whakarae, kaiarataki, kaikākāriki, tētēkura, uru, kaihautū, kaitakitaki, kaingārahu, manukura, kaiwhakanekeneke, tātāriki, amokapua, amokura, ariki, ihorei, kahika, tātarariki, poutoko, whakataka, amorangi, hautū


5. (noun) military parade.

Nō te 10 o ngā rā o tēnei marama o Hūrae i tae mai te waea i Rānana e kī ana i tū tētahi ngārahu nui i te aroaro o te Kuīni e rima tekau mā waru mano o ngā hōia i tūria i taua ngārahu o te rongomau (KO 18/7/1887:3). / On the 10th of this month of July the telegraph message arrived from London saying that a military parade was held before the Queen and 58,000 soldiers stood at that peace parade.

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6. (noun) war dance - haka in which the men are armed and jump up and down. Performed by the war party before going into battle, in front of elders and experienced warriors who judged by their performance whether they were ready to go into battle. Also called tūtū ngārehu, tūtū waewae and whakatū waewae.

Ko ngā Māori i whakaritea hei hunga pupuhi i hui tahanga kau ki tētahi wāhi o te tāone, kei ngā tikihope anake te kahu, ā tūria ana te ngārahu ki reira (TWMNT 13/2/1877:28). / The Māori who were organised to take part in the firing assembled at place in the town without clothing except round the loins, and performed the war dance there.

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See also tūtū ngārahu

tū waewae

1. (noun) war dance - haka in which the men are armed and jump up and down. Performed by the war party before going into battle, in front of elders and experienced warriors who judged by their performance whether they were ready to go into battle. Also called tūtū ngārehu, tūtū waewae and whakatū waewae.

Nō te mutunga o te tū waewae, ka mea ngā Pākehā kia whakaputaina tētahi kupu whakaaroha mā rātou ki ō rātou hoa Māori (TWM 18/11/1869:2) / When the war dance ended, the Pākehā asked to express some words of affection for their Māori companions.

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See also tūtū ngārahu

ngārehu

1. (noun) cinder, ember.

Ka tahuri ki te hika ahi a Tama-āhua; he rere anake te kora o te ahi, ka wera a Arahura, koia i pau ai a Kahotea i te ahi, ka kōpatapata haere te āhua o tēnā pounamu i te ngārehu ahi (JPS 1914:8). / When Tama-āhua proceeded to light a fire by rubbing the sticks, the sparks flew out and set fire to Arahura, and hence was Kahotea [name of a variety of greenstone] burnt, for that kind of greenstone is spotted like drops on account of the embers of the fire.

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2. (noun) charcoal.

Ka noho mātau i te taha o te manga wai o ngā wai hāroto o te pārae e heke atu ana ki taua wāhi, he ngārehu i roto i te anga pāua nei ki tētahi taha o te wai takoto mai ai (JPS 1950:284). / We sat by the stream that drained the pools of water of the plain descending down to that place, and there was an ember in a pāua shell lying on the other side of the water facing us.

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3. (noun) war dance - haka in which the men are armed and jump up and down. Performed by the war party before going into battle, in front of elders and experienced warriors who judged by their performance whether they were ready to go into battle. Also called tūtū ngārahu, tūtū waewae and whakatū waewae.

Nā, nui atu tana hiahia kia kite ia i ngā mahi āhuareka a tēnei Iwi, a te Māori, i ngā haka, i ngā tūtū ngārehu, me ngā poi, me ētahi tikanga āhuareka a te Māori (TPH 1/7/1904:8). / He had a great desire to see the entertainment of the Māori, posture dances, war dances, poi and other interesting customs of the Māori.

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See also tūtū ngārahu

whare kanikani

1. (noun) dance hall.

I te kauwhau a tētahi minita Pākehā o Tūranga nei mō te Haerenga Tuarua mai o te Karaiti i mea ia e kore rawa ia i pai kia rokohanga mai ia e te Karaiti i roto i te tiata, i roto rānei i te whare kanikani, i te papa reihi hōiho rānei (TP 8/1904:10). / In a sermon by a Pākehā minister from Gisborne about the Second Coming of Christ, he said that he would never like to be found by Christ in a theatre, in a dance hall or at the race course.

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haka taparahi

1. (noun) ceremonial haka - posture dance performed without weapons. At some stage during this type of haka the men descend to the ground.

Nui atu te mihi ki ngā mahi o te pō, ngā waiata, ngā poi, ngā waiata Māori, Pākehā, me ngā haka taparahi a ngā kaumātua (TTT 1/12/1931:81). / There was much praise for the activities of the night, the songs, the poi, Māori and English songs, and the haka taparahi of the elders.

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kanikani keretao

1. (noun) break-dancing.

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