manaia
1. (noun) stylised figure used in carving.
E ai ki ētahi kōrero, he kaitiaki te manaia, inā tana āhei ki te whakawhiti mai i te ao wairua ki te ao tangata (RTA 2014:111). / According to some accounts, the manaia stylised figure is a guardian because it is able to cross from the spiritual world to the human world.
Synonyms: kiore moana
2. (noun) sea horse, Hippocampus abdominalis - a quaint little fish usually mottled in browns. The body is narrow and strongly cross ridged on the sides. Head resembles a horse, but the tail is curled.
Synonyms: kiore moana, inamoki, hinamoki
3. (noun) lizard.
4. (noun) raft.
Hangaia he manaia mō tātou hei whitinga mō tātou (W 1971:173). / Build a raft for us to make the crossing.
See also mōkihi
