māhia
1. (noun) indistinct sound.
Nāwai rā, ā, ka pō, me te whai tonu atu te waka rā i te māhia o te waha o te kurī rā (NM 1928:102). / In due course it became dark, with that canoe continuing to follow the indistinct sound of the barking of that dog.
See also wawara