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A Maori Podcast

A Maori Podcast

By: Ihira
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About this listen

 Kia ora! Welcome to this podcast! As per the title, it's a Maori podcast and I am Maori. I try to keep the podcast completely in Te Reo, this is mainly because I want to improve my own language skills, and the best way to do it is to completely speak the language. I share my insights into learning and improving my reo Maori skills especially as someone that doesn't reside back in the homeland. Hoi ano, nahaku noa, I hope that you enjoy this mahi, and I'm proud to be Maori and to share our language. Ko te reo kia rere! If you live abroad and need a place to hang out, I finally found a great hangout spot filled with Maori speakers here. Discord - Reo Maori I also have a Patreon where I hope to add some additional value. You can find me here:https://patreon.com/amaoripodcast© 2025 A Maori Podcast Language Learning Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • It's Christmas!

    It's Christmas!
    Dec 24 2025

    Kia ora ra e te whanau! It's Xmas so I thought today's episode can follow theme.


    Whakatauki - Me oioi ki te ringa ka puta te tama a Upokoroa. [Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo, pg 54]


    Pangapanga:

    1. Mele Kalikimaka. No tewhea reo te mihi nei? - He reo Hawaii.
    2. Tuturu ranei ki te reo Hawaii taua mihi na a Mele Kalikimaka? He kupu mino ke mai ranei? - Kupu mino mai.
    3. Mo te kararehe nei a Ruana. Ko Ruana ihu aha ra ia? - Ko Ruana ihu wherowhero
    4. Mo te waiata nei, He manu aha kei ro rakau ponga? - He Pukeko.
    5. E whia ra ia nga kararehe kawe waka o Hana Koko? - E iwa.
    6. Whakahuahuatia aua kararehe ingoa?

    Ko Tata - Dasher (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/7620)

    Ko Kani - Dancer (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/2171)

    Ko Hiteki - Prancer (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/1272)

    Ko Nunakia - Vixen (Play on words perhaps? Nanakia meaning tricky/crafty - Nunakia was the name of a ship https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/30011)

    Ko Unahiroa - Comet (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/15093)

    Ko Kuata - Cupid (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/42540)

    Ko Whaitiri - Donner (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/9332)

    Ko Uira - Blitzen (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/8872)

    Ko Ruana - Rudolf


    He panui:

    He mihi meri kirihimete no te tau 1898. Jubilee : Te Tiupiri, Volume 1, Issue 45, 22 December 1898, Page 1 [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/JUBIL18981222.2.4]


    Wetewete:

    he mihi nui ake i roto i te ngakau mo tona kitenga i te ra whakamaharatanga i whanau ai to tatou Ariki a Ihu Karaiti

    He Kirihimete haringa, me te tau hou.

    Ko te kite a te tinana tangata, ko te korero a te mangai tangata.
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    18 mins
  • Accidentally telling someone to "go and die" - A & O nuances: Written in a book doesn't always mean it's correct.

    Accidentally telling someone to "go and die" - A & O nuances: Written in a book doesn't always mean it's correct.
    Dec 17 2025

    Kia ora! So this week I found and interesting piece from one of the very first Maori grammar books written.

    A grammar and vocabulary of the language of New Zealand, [Thomas Kendall, 1778?-1832., Church Missionary Society, London, 1820].


    The phrase is "Mou tenei toki". The implied meaning is "For you is this axe", however the use of using "mou" here signals that the axe is to be used on said person, rather than being used by the person. This nuance of A & O can drastically change the intention of a phrase.

    It reminds me of the awkward Coca-Cola ad "Kia ora Mate!"


    Anyways I've included references to additional writings regarding A and O by Ray Harlow.

    Ta Rei Harau - e noho a ana nga taputapu hei whakamahia ai e te tangata.

    Small, portable objects which are owned by the possessor, eg books, toys, tools, cups. The reason for the a in these cases is control - the possessor controls, carries or manipulates the possessum. [pg. 141, A Maori Reference Grammar, Harlow.]


    This one is from the Te Wiremu:

    He nohoanga moku e ngaro ai ahau i toku hoa ngangare. - A resting place for me where I shall be hidden from my enemy. [pg. 73, Te Wiremu]


    References for the whakatauki and pangapanga are below:


    whakatauki - he kotuku kai whakaata.[pg. 28 Te Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo.]

    pangapanga:

    1. Ko whea te whenua e tu ana te hanganga nei a Ipo Tiketike ara, Eiffel Tower? - Wiwi, Parani, France
    2. Na wai te ruri rongonui nei a Romeo raua ko Hurieta, ara Romeo and Juliet? - Wiremu Hakipea - William Shakespeare
    3. Ko te wahine nei a Mea i whakamaoritia ra taua pukapuka. Ko wai tona ingoa? - Te Haumihiata Mason
    4. I tangia ai te Mona Riha, ara Mona Lisa e wai? - Nihorarau Te Whiti - Leonardo DaVinci
    5. Ko te tarakona nei, a Komoto, he kararehe aha a ia? - He mokomoko, he taniwha - Lizard.
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    13 mins
  • Ta Re Moriori - Comparison to Te Reo

    Ta Re Moriori - Comparison to Te Reo
    Dec 10 2025

    Kia ora ra e te iwi! I have a Patreon where I hope to add some additional value. If you'd like the kaupapa, and you appreciate this mahi, you can give a koha here:

    A Maori Podcast


    Kia ora! Today I thought I'd put side by side the Reo and Ta Re so you can get an idea of the differences. You can read the full Ta Re version here:

    If you are interested in learning more about Ta Re Moriori, Hokotehi Moriori is the place to check out.


    I also wanted to share some thoughts on my own interpretation of words and phrases. The ones I cover in todays episode are the following (left is Ta Re, right is Te Reo)

    k' = ka

    tchuwhatii = tuara whati?/ tuara whati ai? (Alexander Shand says tchuwhatii is 'a piko noa' regarding the bent over nature of a kaumatua)

    ro = haere?/aro?/roto?

    i = he

    ka = ka (Kai Tahu dialect) / nga

    tchiei = kihei/kihai

    eneti = hoki


    I noho a Manaii i tona kaing'(a) i Hawaiki, a k' whanau anǎ tamiriki, a tchuwhatii, ka mè etu a Manaii ki a' tamiriki; "Ka ro kotau ko ro ta ngaherehere ki tapahi i ta rakau, tona ingō(ǎ) i Akepĭrĭ, ka hing'(a) i a kotau, ko wawahi kia okowha ka taha, ka tarei ei e tao".[I noho a Manaia i tona kainga i Hawaiki, a ka whanau ana tamariki, a piko noa. Ka mea atu a Manaia ki ana tamariki, "Haere koutou ki roto i te ngaherehere ki te tapahi i te rakau, tona ingoa, he Akepiri; ka hinga i a koutou, ka wawahi kia hokowha nga taha, ka tarai ai hei tao."]A here ana ka tǎma a Manaii, heau an'(ǎ) ta rakau ra tch Akepiri, wawahi an', okowha ka taha, ka tau, ka tau eneti ta maha ki ka tamiriki a Manaii. Tarei ana e ratau a, ka oti ka tao okowha; kanei ka tchiro etu ki ta iho o ta ratau rakau; [A, haere ana nga tama a Manaia, haua ana te rakau ra, te Akepiri, wawahia ana hokowha nga taha, ka rite tahi te maha ki nga tamariki a Manaia. Taraia ana e ratou, a ka oti nga tao hokowha, katahi ka titiro atu ki te iho o ta ratou rakau;]tahuri ana ka tamiriki a Manaii ki tarei i ta iho o ta ratau rakau, tchiei hoki te e ratau i tarei k' humarii ta iho o ta ratau rakau, tchiei pou tohu ka ro-a-me hokowiriwiri ta iho, e miro hoki ta iho o tchia rakau. [tahuri ana nga tamariki a Manaia ki te tarai i te iho o ta ratou rakau, kihai i taea e ratou te tarai kia humarie te iho o ta ratou rakau, kihai i taea, na te mea e whakawiriwiri ana te iho.]Nunei a pange ingana, here ei ka rangat'(a) ki ri kaing', ki etu anǎ ki to ratau matū(a); "Ekore i tē tarei ta iho o ta tatau rakau ke tika". [Heoi, whakarerea iho i reira. Haere ana nga tangata ki te kainga, ki atu ana ki to ratou matua, "E kore e taea te tarai te iho o ta tatou rakau kia tika." ]I tch ata ka ki etu eneti a Manaii ki o' tama; "Here eneti ra ki tarei i ta iho o ta kotau rakau k' humarii." Ka ui etu a Manaii, "Ehi ka 'e ka tao o ta kotau rakau?" Ke me mai ka tama a Manaii ki aii; "Okowha."[I te ata ka ki atu ano a Manaia ki ana tama, "Haere ano ki te tarai i te iho o ta koutou rakau, kia humarie." Ka ui atu a Manaia, "E whia koa nge nga tao o ta koutou rakau?" Ka mea mai nga tama a Manaia ki a ia, "Hokowha."]


    Whakatauki - Kaua e hinga mai ki runga i a au, ka pa ia na he urunga oneone ko te urunga mau tonu - Do not lean on me as if I were a pillow made of earth that would remain firm. pg. 77, Te Kohinga Whakatauki a Raupo.
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    12 mins
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