Flora and fauna
The accepted English common names of a number of species of animal and plant endemic to New Zealand are simply their Māori names or a close equivalent:
huhu
a type of large beetle
huia
a recently extinct bird, much prized traditionally by Māori for its feathers
kākā
a native parrot
kākāpō
a rare native bird
kahikatea
a type of large tree
Kaiwhekea
a type of prehistoric plesiosaur
katipo
a venomous native spider
kauri
large conifer in the Araucariaceae
kea
a parrot, the world's only alpine parrot
kererū
the native wood pigeon
kina
the sea-urchin, eaten as a delicacy
kiwi
the bird, a New Zealander, or (but not in New Zealand English) kiwi fruit
kōkako
a rare type of bird
kowhai
a type of flowering tree
kūmara
sweet potato
mako
a shark, considered a magnificent fighting game fish
mamaku
a type of large tree fern
moa
extinct giant flightless bird
pāua
abalone
pōhutukawa
a type of flowering tree
ponga (also spelt punga)
the silver fern, often used as a symbol for New Zealand
pukeko
a wading bird, the purple swamphen
rātā
a type of flowering tree
rimu
a tree, the red pine
takahē
a rare wading bird
toheroa
a shellfish
tōtara
an evergreen tree
tuatara
rare lizard-like reptile, not closely related to any other living species
tui
the parsonbird
weka
a flightless bird of the rail family
weta
a large native insect, similar to a cricket
whekī
a type of tree fern
Thousands of Māori placenames (with or without anglicisation) are now official in New Zealand. These include:
Territorial authorities: Waikato, Manawatu, Tauranga, Taranaki, Otago
Cities: Tauranga, Whangarei, Waitakere, Timaru, Rotorua
Tourist destinations: Aoraki/Mount Cook, Tongariro, Manapouri, Moeraki, Wakatipu, Te Anau, Waitomo
There is a movement to replace anglicised words and return placenames to their original Māori forms. See for example Whanganui. Some Treaty of Waitangi settlements have included placename changes.
Many New Zealand rivers and lakes have Māori names; these names predominantly use the prefixes wai- (water) and roto- (lake) respectively. Examples include the Waikato, Waipa and Waimakariri rivers, and lakes Rotorua, Rotomahana and Rotoiti.
A Māori name for New Zealand, Aotearoa, has gained some currency as a more acceptable alternative. It appears in the names of some political parties, e.g. Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and Communist Party of Aotearoa.
Other words and phrases
aroha
love, sympathy, compassion
arohanui
"lots of love", commonly as a valediction
haere mai and haere ra
welcome and goodbye (respectively)
haka
traditional Māori dance, not always a war-dance, often performed by New Zealand sports teams to 'intimidate' opponents; see Haka of the All Blacks
hāngi
(1) earth oven used to cook large quantities of food (2) the food cooked in the hāngi
hapū
clan or subtribe, part of an iwi
hikoi
march or walk, especially a symbolic walk such as a protest march
hongi
traditional Māori greeting featuring the pressing together of noses and sharing of breath
hui
meeting, conference
iwi
tribe
kai
food
kai moana
sea food
kapa haka
a cultural festival or music and dance
ka pai
very pleasant, good, fine
karakia
sung prayer or welcome
kaupapa
policy or principle, credo
kāwanatanga
sovereignty
kia kaha
an expression of support, lit. be strong
kia ora
a greeting, lit. be healthy
koha
gift, present, offering, donation, contribution
kōhanga reo
Māori language preschool (literally 'language nest')
kōrero
to talk; to speak Māori; story
koru
stylised fern frond pattern, used in art
Kura Kaupapa Māori
Maori language school
mahinga mātaitai
traditional seafood gathering place
mana
regard in which someone is held; respect of their authority; reputation
manaia
guardian spirit, often found in Māori artwork and carving
Māoritanga
Māori culture, traditions, and way of life, lit. Māoriness
marae
a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Māori society
Matariki
midwinter festival, the Māori new year, lit. the star cluster of the Pleiades
mihi
lit. greet, acknowledge; sometimes used for internet board or forum message
moko
facial tattoo
mokopuna
descendants, young children. Lit. grandchildren
Ngaire
woman's name, origin unknown
pā
hill fort
pakarū
broken, not working; often rendered in New Zealand English as
puckeroo or
puckerooed
Pākehā
New Zealander of non-Māori descent, usually European
Papakāinga
land used as housing by a hapu or whanau group
poi
A dance art that originated in Māori culture and is now popular in object-manipulation communities
pounamu
greenstone, jade, nephrite
pōwhiri
ceremony of welcome
puku
abdomen, tummy
rāhui
a ban or prohibition
rohe
homeland, tribal area
tangata whenua
home tribe of a given marae or district; by extension, Māori in the New Zealand context, people of the land.
taniwha
mythical water monster
tangi
funeral, rites for the dead
taonga
sacred treasure. Māori usage: property, goods, possessions, effects, treasure, something prized. The term
whare taonga ("treasure house") is used in the Māori names of museums
tapu
sacred, taboo; to be avoided because of this; (a cognate of the Tongan
tabu, origin of the English borrowing of
taboo)
te reo
the Māori language (literally, 'the language')
tiki
stylised representation of a male human, found in Māori artwork and carving
tino rangatiratanga
a political term, sometimes translated as "chieftainship"
tukutuku
traditional woven panels
utu
revenge. Māori usage: revenge, cost, price, wage, fee, payment, salary, reciprocity
wāhi tapu
sacred site
wai
water (found at the start of the names of many New Zealand rivers)
waiata
singing, song
waka
canoe
whakapapa
ancestry, heritage
whānau
extended family or community of related families
whare
house, building
Many Māori words or phrases that describe Māori culture have become part of New Zealand English and may be used in general (non-Māori) contexts. Some of these are:
Aotearoa: New Zealand. Popularly interpreted to mean 'land of the long white cloud', but the original derivation is uncertain
aroha: Love, sympathy, affection
arohanui: "lots of love", commonly as a complimentary close
haere mai: welcome
haka: a chant and dance of challenge (not always a war dance), popularised by the All Blacks rugby union team, who perform a haka before the game in front of the opposition
hāngi: a method of cooking food in a pit; or the occasion at which food is cooked this way (compare the Hawaiian use of the word luau)
hongi: traditional Māori greeting featuring the pressing together of noses
hui: a meeting; increasingly being used by New Zealand media to describe business meetings relating to Māori affairs
iwi: tribe, or people
kai: food
kapai: very pleasant; good, fine. From Māori 'ka pai'
kaitiaki: guardianship of the environment
kaupapa: agenda, policy or principle
kia ora: hello, and indicating agreement with a speaker (literally 'be healthy')
koha: donation, contribution
kōhanga reo: Māori language preschool (literally 'language nest')
kōrero: to talk; to speak Māori; story
Kura Kaupapa Māori: Maori language school
mana: influence, reputation — a combination of authority, integrity, power and prestige
Māoritanga: Māori culture, traditions, and way of life. Lit. Māoriness.
marae: ceremonial meeting area in front of the meeting house; or the entire complex surrounding this, including eating and sleeping areas
Pākehā: Non-Maori New Zealanders, especially those with European ancestry
piripiri: clinging seed, origin of New Zealand English 'biddy-bid'.
pōwhiri: ceremony of welcome
puku: belly, usually a big one
rāhui: restriction of access
tāngata whenua: native people of a country or region, i.e. the Māori in New Zealand (literally 'people of the land')
tapu: sacred, taboo; to be avoided because of this; (a cognate of the Tongan tabu, origin of the English borrowing of taboo)
tangi: to mourn; or, a funeral at a marae
taniwha: mythical water monster
te reo: the Māori language (literally, 'the language')
waka: canoe, boat (modern Māori usage includes automobiles)
whānau: extended family or community of related families
whare: house, building
Other Māori words and phrases may be recognised by most New Zealanders, but generally not used in everyday speech:
hapū: subtribe; or, pregnant
kapa haka: cultural gathering involving dance competitions; haka team
karakia: prayer, used in various circumstances including opening ceremonies
kaumātua: older person, respected elder
kia kaha: literally 'be strong'; roughly "be of good heart, we are supporting you"
Kīngitanga: Māori King Movement
matangi: wind, breeze ("Matangi" is the name for a class of electric multiple unit trains used on the Wellington suburban network, so named after Wellington's windy reputation).
mauri: spiritual life force
mokopuna: literally grandchildren, but can mean any young children
pakarū: broken, damaged
rangatira: chief
rohe: home territory of a specific iwi
taihoa – not yet, wait a while
tamariki: children
tohunga: priest (in Māori use, an expert or highly skilled person)
tūrangawaewae: one's own turf, "a place to stand"
tutū: to be rebellious, stirred up, mischievous Used in New Zealand English to mean "fidget" or "fiddle" e.g. "Don't tutū with that!"
urupā: burial ground
utu: revenge (in Māori, payment, response, answer)
wāhi tapu: sacred site
whaikōrero: oratory
whakapapa: genealogy
waiata: song
wairua: spirit
