n • advanced
pōwhiri
welcome ceremony
poh-fee-ree
Ka tīmata te pōwhiri ināianei.
The welcome ceremony is beginning now.
✦ TE REO MĀORI ✦
🏛️ Marae and Ceremonies
21 words and phrases for focused te reo Māori practice.
Marae and Ceremonies vocabulary
Pick a word card below to practise the Māori word, meaning, pronunciation and example sentence.
Vocabulary
maraetikangaformalceremony
n • advanced
whaikōrero
formal speech
fye-koh-reh-roh
Kei te whakarongo mātou ki te whaikōrero.
We are listening to the formal speech.
n • advanced
karanga
ceremonial call
kah-rah-ngah
Kua rangona te karanga.
The ceremonial call has been heard.
n • advanced
tangihanga
funeral rites
tah-nghee-hah-ngah
Kua tae mai te whānau ki te tangihanga.
The family has arrived for the funeral rites.
n • advanced
koha
gift
koh-hah
Kua kawea te koha ki te marae.
The gift has been taken to the marae.
n • advanced
karakia
chant / prayer (marae context)
kah-rah-kee-ah
Ka mutu te hui me te karakia.
The gathering ends with a karakia.
n • advanced
tangata whenua
hosts / people of the land (marae context)
tah-ngah-tah feh-noo-ah
Ko mātou ngā tangata whenua o tēnei marae.
We are the hosts of this marae.
n • advanced
poroporoaki
farewell ceremony
poh-roh-poh-rah-ah-kee
Ka tū te poroporoaki ā te ahiahi.
The farewell ceremony will be held in the afternoon.
n • advanced
urupā
cemetery
oo-roo-paa
Kei te urupā ngā tūpuna.
The ancestors are in the cemetery.
n • advanced
wharenui
meeting house (marae context)
fah-reh-noo-ee
Ka hui mātou i roto i te wharenui.
We gather inside the meeting house.
n • advanced
waiata āpiti
song of support
why-ah-tah aa-pee-tee
Ka waiata āpiti ngā wāhine.
The women sing the song of support.
n • advanced
hongi
nose greeting
hoh-ngee
Ka hongi māua i te tūāhu.
We exchanged the hongi at the entrance.
n • advanced
marae ātea
marae courtyard
mah-rye ah-teh-ah
Ka tū ngā manuhiri ki runga i te marae ātea.
The visitors stand on the marae ātea.
n • advanced
tikanga
customary practice (marae context)
tee-kah-ngah
He nui ngā tikanga o te marae.
There are many customs of the marae.
n • advanced
tapu
sacred / taboo (marae context)
tah-poo
He tapu tēnei wāhi.
This place is sacred.
n • advanced
noa
ordinary / unrestricted (marae context)
noh-ah
Ka noa te marae i muri i te hākari.
The marae is made noa after the feast.
n • advanced
hākari
ceremonial feast
haa-kah-ree
He nui ngā kai i te hākari.
There is much food at the feast.
n • advanced
whakapapa
genealogy / lineage (marae context)
fah-kah-pah-pah
Ko te whakapapa te tūāpou o te Māori.
Genealogy is the pillar of Māori identity.
n • advanced
iwi
tribe / people (marae context)
ee-wee
Ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa tōku iwi.
Ngāti Tūwharetoa is my tribe.
n • advanced
hapū
sub-tribe (marae context)
hah-poo
He nui ngā hapū o tōku iwi.
My tribe has many sub-tribes.
n • advanced
kaumātua
elder / respected person (marae context)
koh-maa-too-ah
Ka kōrero te kaumātua ki ngā tamariki.
The elder speaks to the children.