kawau mārō
1. (noun) fighting formation, concentrated attack - a military tactic where the war party advances in a triangle formation in battle to come to close grips and to split the enemy ranks. Also known as koau mārō, kawau rukuroa and kura takai puni.
Ko tērā kupu ko te 'kawau mārō' nō te pakanga, arā mō te matua he mea whakakokoi te tū whakamua, ā, ka whakaeke ana kāore rawa e hoki mai, kāore hoki e marara (NIT 1995:187). / That saying, the 'kawau mārō' (straight-flying cormorant) is about warfare and concerns an army division that forms a point at the front and when attacking never retreats or scatters.
2. (noun) advocate, champion, promoter.
He kawau mārō a Hōne Te Atirau Asher nō Tūwharetoa, noho ai hei kaiārahi i waenganui i te Māori rāua ko te Pākehā (TTR 1998:4). / Hōne Te Atirau was an advocate of Tūwharetoa and played a leadership role between Māori and Pākehā.
Synonyms: tautīnei, kaiwhakahau, kaihāpai, kaitaunaki, whakaihuwaka, aumangea
