Simpson, Mīria
1. (1922-2002) Ngāti Awa; teacher and expert speaker and writer of Māori. Editor of numerous publications, including Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau (Volume 1) and the Māori section of the Historical Atlas of New Zealand. One of the first commissioners of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. Awarded a QSM in 1991.
2. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to twist strands by rolling them on the thigh.
Nā taku kuia au i whakaako ki te miri i te muka o te harakeke (RTA 2014:120). / It was my grandmother who taught me to twist the flax fibre on my thigh.
3. (modifier) massage.
I mua i tēnei he takahinga ture te whakahaere whare kairau; hunaia ai ēnei tūmomo whare ki raro i te kārangaranga whare miri tinana (Te Ara 2016). / Prior to this, brothels operated outside the law; these types of houses were hidden under the euphemism of massage parlours.
Synonyms: mirimiri, kōmuru, romiromi, kōmuri, kōmiri, whakamāeneene
4. (modifier) shelling (maize).
Ko ngā mīhini miri kānga mā te tangata anō e huri (TTT 1/10/1930:2158). / The machines for shelling maize were turned by hand.
5. (noun) twisting (flax fibre).
Te miri o Rukutia. Te miri o te harakeke, arā o te muka hei whenu hei aho rānei mō te whatu kākahu. Kei ngā kōrero onamata a te Māori ko Rukutia nāna i tīmata te whatu o te kākahu (M 2004:292). / The caress of Rukutia. The twisting of flax, that is the flax fibre, into warp strands or cross-threads for weaving garments. According to the early narratives of the Māori, Rukutia was the originator of the art of the weaving of garments.
