The Māori word for the bird is kiwi, a name derived from the sound of its call, and it refers to several species like the brown kiwi (kiwi) or the little spotted kiwi (kiwi pukupuku). Māori also call the kiwi "te manu huna a Tāne" (the hidden bird of Tāne), highlighting its cultural significance as a treasured bird.
ngutu roa. 1. (noun) kiwi.
The label is generally viewed as a symbol of pride and affection for most people of New Zealand, however there are New Zealanders, particularly some with Māori heritage, that find the appellation jarring and prefer not to identify with it.
Puku - This Maori-derived term refers to the stomach or belly. For example, "My puku is full after that meal."
Tokoeka – southern brown kiwi (Apteryx australis)
Tokoeka, whose reo Māori name means 'weka with a walking stick', is a reasonably common species of kiwi located along the west coast of the South Island and Rakiura Stewart Island.
The Word Pakeha. Pakeha, which is a Maori term for the white inhabitants of New Zealand, was in vogue even prior to 1815. Its original meaning and origin are obscure, but the following are possible origins, the first being the most probable: From pakepakeha: imaginary beings resembling men.
Noa is the opposite of Tapu and refers to ordinary, everyday things such as food or alcohol. Those two should be kept separated. That's why you should avoid sitting on pillows and touching or passing food over a person's head, since it's considered very sacred by Māori people.
Kiwis are exceptionally agreeable, so even when they want to disagree with you, they'll throw in a "yeah" as well. Basically, "yeah, nah" is a non-committal way of saying no. As in: "Do you want to go for a hike this weekend?" "Yeah, nah, I'll think about it ay."
"Chubby Māori" refers to a complex topic involving higher rates of obesity in Māori populations, cultural perspectives challenging sizeism and promoting body sovereignty (like Kōrero Mōmona), historical theories about body types, and media representations such as the documentary Chubby Cree, all highlighting the intersection of health, identity, and systemic issues within Māori communities.
Chur The meaning of chur is essentially thank you. You can use this classic Kiwi slang to show gratitude or appreciation. As explained above, it can also mean "sweet as" or "that's awesome".
We refer to ourselves as Kiwis, so you're fine. It's not a slur. Technically correct would be "New Zealander" but that's less common than Kiwi.
Did you know that girls' names Tia, Maia and Kaia are all Māori names? So, whether you're from New Zealand, want to pay tribute to your heritage, or are perhaps are looking for a unique name with a particular meaning, there's plenty here to be inspired by.
Bro, cuz (short for cousin) and man can all be used to address both males and females. The word “sis” is reserved for addressing close girl friends.
Yes, as long as the name isn't offensive (like a swear word or slur or something). Basically, same rule for when naming ya kid in English.
Aroha is a Māori word meaning "love", cognate with the Hawaiian term aloha. It is also a given name, and can be either masculine or feminine.
A few popular words and phrases include: Kia ora—Can mean “Hello,” “Goodbye,” and “Thank you.” Āe—Yes. Ehē—No.
Māori swear words, or kanga, often derive from insults about body parts or actions, with strong examples including Pōkokōhua (boiled head, a strong curse), Pokotiwha, and Pōpō, though context is key, as many terms are neutral in isolation but become offensive when combined or used aggressively, expressing anger or contempt. While Te Reo Māori has ways to express outrage, it's less about specific "bad words" and more about the powerful combination of words, similar to English.
In New Zealand, one in nine children (11%) aged between two and 14 years are obese, and a further one in five (22%) are overweight with the greatest burden observed in the indigenous Māori population and people from the Pacific Islands.
Excuse me: E kala mai
Many Hawaiian terms and phrases have multiple meanings, just like they do in English. E kala mai (pronounced eh kah-lah mye) is a phrase that can be used to mean excuse me, I'm sorry, or forgive me, similarly to how we would use the phrase pardon me in English.
Jandals – whether you call them flip flops or thongs where you come from, the perennial summer footwear favourite is called a jandal in NZ.
The New Zealand accent is most similar to Australian accents, particularly those of Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia, but is distinguished from these accents by the presence of three "clipped" vowels, slightly resembling South African English.
This is because it was believed that others could find these body parts and place makutu on you. Cutting your hair and fingernails at night time meant that it would be easy for others to get a hold of these body parts and do harm to you.
Sites or objects that Māori regard as tapu (sacred) are not to be touched or interacted with. The head is considered to be the most sacred part of the body and should not come into contact with other body parts. It is a cultural taboo to touch someone else's head without permission.
A pūkana helps to emphasise a point in a song or haka and demonstrate the performer's ferocity, intensity or passion. For women, pūkana involves opening their eyes wide and jutting out their chin. For men, it means widening their eyes and stretching out their tongue or baring their teeth.