Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kawanga whare

1. (noun) house-opening ceremony - the formal pre-dawn ceremony to open a new building, especially a meeting house. Because the newly carved house has been made of timber from the forests of the atua, Tāne-mahuta, and because there are carved figures of ancestors around the walls of the meeting house, the tapu on the house has to be lifted so that the building can be used by everybody. The tohunga recites karakia outside the building and the building is named. There are three karakia used, the first about Rātā, an early ancestor who was a carver and builder of canoes, and the birds of the forest which have to be appeased. The second karakia is to lift the tapu from the building and the tools used, and the third is an appeal to the atua to make the house stable and firm, to avert accidents and to make it a pleasant dwelling place. Then the tohunga and a ruahine (an older woman of rank and past child-bearing age), or a young girl, enter the house treading over the door sill, called takahi i te paepae tapu. Traditionally they would carry a cooked kūmara as well. Everybody follows the tohunga into the house as he moves around from the left side (facing out) of the house to the right. The tohunga strikes each of the carved figures with kawakawa leaves, as he moves around the house.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 170-171;)

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