mātāpuputu
1. (modifier) elderly, old (of people), of advancing years.
Nā tēnei kāwai ōna i mana ai ia ki te noho tahi me ērā o ngā amorangi mātāpuputu o Ngāi Tahu, i ā rātou rūnanga (TTR 1994:38). / Because of his ancestral lines he was entitled him to share in the deliberations of the senior leaders of Ngāi Tahu.
Synonyms: tuaukiuki, koroua, waikauere, korokoroua, pūkeko, tawhito, tūpakeke, kaumātua, tūārangi, aweko, ahungarua, tahito
2. (noun) elderly people, older generation, old folk, senior citizens.
Ka oho rā ngā mātāpuputu, ka noho toheriri ki te tū taikaha a ngā taitama nei, ā, nāwai, nāwai, tere tonu te ngaro atu o taua rōpū nei (TTR 1996:138). / The elders were taken aback and hostile with the assertiveness of the young men and after some time that group quickly disappeared.
Synonyms: poupou
