mate kai
1. (stative) be hungry.
I kai ai i ō mātou hoariri, hei ngaki i te mauāhara a te ngākau pukuriri, ehara i te mate kai i kainga ai te tangata, engari he kai i te hoariri, kia ngata ai te ngākau kino ki a ia (JPS 1896:4). / We ate our enemies to satisfy the hatred of the angry heart, not through hunger after man's flesh, but enemies were eaten to assuage the bitter feelings we had.
See also matekai