tongarerewa
1. (modifier) precious.
Ka rawe te iwi rangatira e noho rā, ka oti te whakakākahu ki ngā kākahu rangatira, he aurei katoa te here o ngā kākahu. Ko Tapuae, he paepaeroa, ko te māhiti ki waho. Kitea te nui o te aurei, o te kuru pounamu ki runga ki te pakihiwi o Tapuae, te here o ngā kākahu o te māhiti, me te wahine a Tapuae, he wahine rangatira hoki, he kākahu kiwi te kākahu, me ngā kōtore huia te rākai ki tahi taha, ki tahi taha, o te māhuna, ko te tiki ki te poho, ko ngā tautau tongarerewa ki tahi pakihiwi, ki tahi (TP 9/1908:3). / The aristocratic folk were gorgeous as they sat decked out in their grand clothes all fastened with ivory pins. There was Tapuae with a paepaeroa and a māhiti over it. An abundance of ivory pins and greenstone ornaments could be seen on Tapuae's shoulder, fastening his garments and his māhiti. His wife too, a well-born woman, was wearing a kiwi cloak, with tail feathers of the huia adorning both sides of her head, a tiki on her breast, and quite a cluster of greenstone drops on each shoulder.
See also tongarewa
Synonyms: māpuna, tongarewa, marihi, matahīapo, matenui, kahurangi, mōmōhanga, puipuiaki, puiaki, hokoi, kāmehameha, piripoho
2. (noun) treasure, jewel, darling.
I te hui nei ka rangona te kōharihari, te uruhua i te nui o te iwi nei, arā, o te rangatahi kāore i te mōhio ki ō rātou reo, ki ā rātou tikanga, engari e kaha ana te matawā, te tūkorou atu ki aua tongarerewa (HM 1/1992:2). / At this meeting we felt the pain and hurt from the majority of the people, that is of the young people who do not know their language and customs, but the desire was strong for those treasures.
Synonyms: kahurangi
3. (noun) semi-transparent variety of greenstone, ear ornament of greenstone.
