A message from the Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori
Kia ora and Greetings
Nau mai, haere mai!
We are inviting you and your business to join us this year for Matariki.
Traditionally our Matariki (the Māori New Year) is a time in mid-winter when people gather, share kai, reflect on the past and prepare for the future. We have created some fun; easy ways people can do this by:
- Hosting a #Kaitahi – a shared meal. We are encouraging people to organise a shared meal; to donate to a foodbank and to eat out: to support our hospitality industry.
- Learning a #Kaikōhau – an expression of hope. We are encouraging people to learn a Kaikōhau in Māori and to also learn it in the language of their ancestors. We have translated and recorded our Kaikōhau into more than 30 languages, from Scottish Gaelic to Chinese, Hebrew to Samoan. This Matariki we want all New Zealanders to be able to reflect and connect back to their ancestors.
What can you do?
You are welcome to share #Kaitahi and #Kaikōhau as part of your Matariki celebrations and to share your Matariki moment at our learning and sharing hub www.reomaori.co.nz. You will find help with pronunciation there. A very simple thing you can do is to consider greeting people with: Kia ora! Few people know that Kia ora literally means: be well. In this current COVID-19 environment, Kia ora, takes on a new, very important meaning.
What is a Kaikōhau?
An expression of hope that invites and welcomes positive things into your life. We have designed a special Kaikōhau for you to learn. A bit like a proverb, you can say our Kaikōhau whenever you have gathered with friends or family. It’s a profound and positive expression.
Te reo Māori
Nau mai ngā hua
Nau mai ngā pai
Nau mai kia nui
Kia hāwere ai
Scots/Gaeilge
Fáilte roimh gach ar fhás
Fáilte roimh gach a bhfuil go maith
Go raibh siad fairsing flúirseach.
Samoan
Afio mai mea uma o lo'o tuputupu a'e
Afio mai mea uma o lo'o lelei
Ia latou fa'ateleina ma fa'ato'ateleina
Chinese simplified
乐万物生长
喜世间美好
祈富裕泰康
English
Welcome all things that have grown
Welcome all things that are good
May they be abundant and plentiful
Hebrew
ברכת שלום לכל מה שצמח,
ברכת שלום לכל מה שטוב,
מי יתן ויהיו בשפע וללא מחסור.
Our corporate site at www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz also contains lots of resources you may find helpful, we have added some links below:
- Dining Table – words for the dining table
- Korero Kai – phrases to learn at meal time
- Language of food – what is that food called?
- Kitchen words – what are the things in the kitchen called?
- Pronouncing place names – tips on pronunciation
- Phrases to learn – simple phrases to learn
- Retail words – some words when shopping or serving
- Ordering a burger – do it in te reo!
- Ordering a coffee – try it in Māori
- Words for food – another glossary
We have some limited-edition face masks that we would love to provide to the first 100 members who join us on our www.reomaori.co.nz and share a #Kaitahi and/or #Kaikōhau. Even the All Blacks are keen on getting their hands on them so get in quick!
Finally: we would like to extend our best wishes. It’s been a tough year and we wish you and your mahi all the best from our team to yours. We hope our campaign will help bring New Zealanders together: as te reo did last year when our Māori language moment saw more than 1 million of us celebrate te reo at the same time.
Please contact my Director, Partnerships and Promotions, Christine Ammunson on christine@tetaurawhiri.govt.nz or on 0274457333 if you need more information.
Best wishes
Ngahiwi Apanui
Chief Executive | Tumu Whakahaere
