wairākau
1. (noun) manure, fertiliser, compost.
He āhua rite te wairākau ki te paraumu, arā, he maramara tipu, he tiko kararehe, he rau rākau kua hanehane, kua popo. / Compost is a bit like humus, that is it consists of pieces of vegetation, dung and leaves which have decayed and rotted.
Synonyms: maniua, whakawairākau, whakamōmona
2. (noun) dye - traditionally from the sap of trees, etc.
Kua waimehatia taku wairākau e te ua, kāore e ū ki te muka, arā, kāore e pango (W 1971:476). / My dye has been diluted by the rain and has not become fixed to the flax fibre, that is, it won't be black.
