Glossary
Kuputaka
Explanations of special terms and phrases
Macrons and double vowels in te reo Maaori
Wondering why we spell words like whaanau instead of whānau?
For te reo Maaori, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery uses double vowels (uu) in place of vowels with a macron (ū) to represent a long vowel sound. This spelling approach is the preference of Meaning Local people, indigenous people in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Waikato iwi for te reo Maaori words.
Artists’ titles are shown in their original form, as are organisation names originating from outside of the Waikato-Tainui iwi.
Aangi
Air
Ahi
Fire
Ahi Kaa
People who kept the home fires burning
Aho
Weft
Angiangi, Taupata
Large native shrub - Coprosma repens
Aotearoa
New Zealand
Atua
God/gods
Aute
Paper mulberry bark - Broussonetia papyrifera
Awhi
Support
Hapuu
Subtribe, kinship group
Harakeke, Koorari
From lily family but commonly known as flax - Phormium tenax
Hau
Wind
Hei
Neck ornament
Hine Wai
Female deity of water
Hinengaro
Mind
Horoeka
Lancewood - Pseudopanax crassifolius
Houhere
Lacebark
Houhī
South Island - Hoheria populena
Huaki paepaeroa
Intricately woven cloak
Hue
Gourd or calabash - Lagenaria siceraria
Hue
Gourd
Huruhuru manu
Bird feathers
Inanga
Grass tree or bamboo - Dracophyllum longifolium
Iwi
Tribe
Kaakaa
Native bush parrot
Kaakahu
Garment or clothing
Kaanga
Corn - Zea mays
Kaha
Strength
Kahikatea
White pine - Dacrycarpus dacrydioides
Kahu
Cloak
Kahu huruhuru
Feathered cloak
Kahu muka
Garment or clothing made from Phormium tenax fibre
Kaikoorero
The speaker or narrator
Kairaranga
Weaver
Kanono, Manono, Raureekau
Large-leaved coprosma - Coprosma grandifolia
Karo
Pittosporum crassifolium
Kaupapa
Main body of the cloak
Kereruu, Kuukupa
Wood pigeon
Kete
Bag or basket
Kete kai
Food gathering basket
Kiekie
Freycinetia banksii
Kiekie
Freycinetia banksii
Koohatu
Stone
Kooiwi
Bones
Kookoowai
Red ochre
Koorari
Phormium tenax leaf and/or its flower
Koowhai, Kano kōhai
Sophora microphylla
Koowhiti whakapae
Horizontal cross stitch
koowhiuwhiu
A fan
Kotahitanga
Unity
Kuaka
Bar-tailed godwit
Kumete
Wooden vessel
Kupenga
Net
Kuutaa, Ngawha
Spike rush - Eleocharis sphacelata
Kuutai
Mussel
Maanatu
Ribbonwood - Plagianthus regius
Maanuka
Teatree - Leptospermum scoparium
Maawhitiwhiti
Cross over pattern
Mahi
Work
Maro
Short loin cloth or apron
Matariki
Star cluster Pleiades
Mau taringa
Earings
Maumahara
Remember
Maunga, Mauka
Mountain
Miikoikoi
Native iris - Libertia ixioides L.grandiflora
Moana
Ocean
Muka
Fibre extracted from Phormium tenax leaf - whītau
Neinei
Grass tree, spiderwood is also a mountain variety - Dracophyllum latifolium
Onematua
Fertile soil
Paakee
Cape
Paakee rere ua
Rain cape
Paatikitiki
Flounder, flat fish pattern
Paaua
Abalone shell - Haliotis
Patu
Hand weapon, club
Pepeha
Tribal identifier
Piingao
Golden sand sedge - Ficinia spiralis
Pirita, Kareao, Karewao
Supplejack - Ripogonum scandens
Piupiu
Waste to knee garment made of Phormium tenax
Piwakawaka
Fantail
Poi
Light ball on a string used in song and dance and in healing
Pookinikini
Rolled Phormium tenax tags
Pootae
Hat
Pouako, Kaiako
Teacher
Poutama
Step pattern
Purapura whetuu
Pattern representing stars
Puuraakau
Stories
Puuraakau
Customary stories
Raa
The sun
Raa, Koomaru, Heera, Raa whara
Sail of a waka/canoe
Raakau
Tree, wood
Ranginui
Sky father, primordial parent
Raranga
Weaving
Rau
Leaves
Raupoo
Bulrush - Typha orientalis
Raureekau, Manono, Kanono
Bark used to produce yellow - Coprosma grandifolia
Rimurapa
Large seaweed, bull kelp
Rimurimu
Seaweed
Roopu
Group or organisation
Ruuruhi
Elderly women who hold weaving knowledge
Taahei
Neck adornment
Taakahee
Native bird
Taane-nui-a-rangi
God of the forest, birds and mankind
Taanekaha
Celery pine tree-bark used to produce warm brown - Phyllocladus trichomanoides
Taaniko
Weft twined geometrical design and the finger twining technique
Taapiki
Single lock off
Taatua
Belt
Taawhirimaatea
God of wind and storms
Tae paakehaa
Commercial dye
Taiao
Environment
Takiwaa
Tribal areas
Tangaroa
God of all bodies of water
Tangata whenua
Local people, indigenous people
Taonga
Treasure, anything prized
Taonga Puuoro
Traditional Maaori musical instruments
Also: taonga pūoro
Tauira
Student
Tauiwi, Paakehaa
Non-Maaori
Te koroi
Fruit or cone of the kahikatea - Dacrycarpus dacrydioides
Te Poo
The night, the darkness
Te whare pora
House of weaving
Tii koouka
Cabbage tree - Cordyline australis
Tikumu
Mountain daisy - Celmisia semcordata
Tinana
Body
Toatoa
Celery pine - Phyllocladus toatoa
Tooroa
Albatross
Tuakana
Elder
Tuapuku
Round cord plaited with four strands
Tuatara
Native reptile
Tui
Parson bird
Tukutuku
Patterns formed on horizontal battens using cross stitching
Tuupuna whare
Ancestral house
Tuupuna, Tiipuna
Ancestors
Also: Tūpuna, Tīpuna
Waananga
A gathering for instruction or tuition
Wahine, Waahine
Woman, women
Wai
Water
Wairua
Spirit
Whaanau
Family
Whaariki
Mat
Whakairo
Carving
Whakapapa
Ancestry or family lineage
Whakapuuareare
To make holes
Whakawhanaungatanga
The process of establishing relationship and links with others
Wharenui
Ancestral house
Whatu
Hand twisted single weave-weft
Whenu
Hand twisted single strand lengthwise or warp
Whenua
Land, earth, placenta
Whetuu
Star
Wheua kekeno
Seal bone
Whiri
To twist, plait, spin or weave