ngākau pono
1. (verb) to be loyal, faithful, dependable, sincere.
Ka karanga nei au ki ngā tāngata Māori katoa e ngākau tika ana, e ngākau pono ana, kia kaua e whakapono ki ngā korero whakahē i tēnei kupu, ahakoa nā te Pākehā, ahakoa nā te Māori (TMT 15/3/1861:2). / I call upon all Māori who are true and faithful to not believe the negative statements, whether from Pākehā or Māori.
Synonyms: tinihanga kore, pono, houtupu, motuhenga, motuhēhē, pirihonge, pirihongo, horopū, piripono, tōmau, pirihonga
2. (modifier) loyal, faithful, dependable, sincere.
He karanga kia mataara, kia tautiaki te hunga ngākau pono mō tōna putanga mai (KO 15/8/1883:13). / It is a call to be alert and to take care of the people who believe in his coming.
3. (noun) loyalty, allegiance, dependability, sincerity, integrity.
Nā te ngākau pono me te ngākaunui o Ākenehi Hei ki tāna mahi i taea ai e ia te āwhina te iwi Māori ki te whakapai ake i ngā āhua o tō rātau hauora (TTR 1996:40). / By her conscientious and devoted work Ākenehi Hei was able to help the Māori people to improve their health standards.
Synonyms: pirihongo, piri, piripono, ngākaupono
