Year 9 Māori Studies Milestone Assessment Study Guide

Essential vocabulary terms and definitions covering pepeha, greetings, haka, tikanga concepts, marae architecture, leadership, and local Auckland history for the Year 9 Māori Studies assessment.

Pepeha

A formulaic introduction that describes who you are and acknowledges the connections and places where you come from, such as your mountain, river, tribe, and family.

Maunga

Mountain.

Awa

River.

Waka

Canoe.

Iwi

Tribe.

Hapū

Sub-tribe.

Whānau

Family or extended family.

Tēnā koe

Hello to one person.

Tēnā kōrua

Hello to two people.

Tēnā koutou

Hello to three or more people.

Haere rā

Goodbye to someone who is leaving.

E noho rā

Goodbye to someone who is staying.

Haka

A Māori posture dance performed by a group or individual using coordinated movement, posture, facial expressions, chanting, and rhythm.

Wero

Challenge, often performed as part of a formal welcome.

Kaikaranga

The caller who performs the karanga (ceremonial call).

Tikanga

Māori customs, values, practices, and the correct way to behave in a particular situation.

Manaakitanga

Showing care, respect, hospitality, and looking after others.

Whanaungatanga

Building and maintaining relationships and a sense of belonging.

Kaitiakitanga

Guardianship and responsibility for caring for people, places, and the environment.

Tapu

Something sacred or restricted; a state of spiritual significance.

Noa

Ordinary, unrestricted, or free from tapu restrictions.

Utu

Reciprocity, restoring balance, or responding appropriately; not simply revenge.

Whakapapa

Genealogy and the relationships connecting people, ancestors, and the world.

Mana

Prestige, authority, spiritual power, or standing.

Rangatiratanga

Chieftainship, leadership, self-determination, and the exercise of authority.

Mauri

Life force or essential vitality.

Kotahitanga

Unity and working together.

Whenua

Land; also translates to placenta, illustrating the connection between people and the land.

Marae ātea

The open space in front of the wharenui; an important place for formal speaking and welcomes.

Wharenui

The meeting house on a marae, often symbolically representing an ancestor.

Wharekai

The dining hall where people prepare and share food.

Waharoa

The entrance gateway to the marae complex.

Paepae

The area or bench where speakers sit during formal proceedings on a marae.

Amo

The upright supports at the front corners of a wharenui.

Tukutuku

Decorative lattice panels inside some wharenui, often displaying patterns with symbolic meanings.

Tāhūhū

The main ridge beam running along the roof of a wharenui.

Heke

The rafters inside a wharenui.

Pōwhiri

A formal welcoming ceremony onto a marae.

Hongi

A traditional greeting involving the pressing together of noses.

Karakia

A prayer, chant, or formal expression used to acknowledge, focus, give thanks, seek protection, or mark the beginning or end of an activity.

Rangatira

A chief or respected leader.

Kaumātua

Respected elders who hold knowledge and guide the community.

Kuia

A respected older woman or female elder.

Tohunga

A skilled expert or person with specialist knowledge in a particular area.

Whakaiti

Humility; not putting yourself above others.

Mana whenua

Iwi or hapū with customary authority and responsibilities in a particular geographic area.

Tīkapa Moana

The Hauraki Gulf, located beside East Auckland.

Tāmaki Makaurau

The Māori name for Auckland.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

The local mana whenua iwi that purchased the land beneath Macleans College in Bucklands Beach in 2021 through its Treaty settlement.