mānawa
1. (verb) (-tia) it was lucky, it's heart-warming - used with or without a passive ending at the beginning of a sentence as an expression of appreciation or surprise.
Mānawa i tae mai koe (W 1971:174). / It was lucky you came.
Nā Māhina i kite te kura o Hā-popo, nā Mā-ihiihi i kite tō Tai-ninihi i muri mai, i te takutai; tono noa ngā tāngata rā i ō rāua kura, kāore i whakahokia mai. Ko te whakautu, "Mānawatia e koe te kurapae a Māhina!" (NIT 1995:37). / Later Māhina found the red feather plumes of Hā-popo and Mā-ihiihi found Tai-ninihi's, on the beach. When those men asked for their red feather plumes they weren't returned to them. The response was, "Be resigned to it, it is Māhina's treasure found accidentally!" (A saying equivalent to 'finders keepers'.)
2. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to welcome.
E tika ana kia āta mānawatia ngā rangatira kua tae mai nei ki tā tātou hui (PK 2008:393). / It is appropriate that the leaders who have come to our gathering be welcomed.
3. (noun) greeting, welcome.
