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A Maori Podcast

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Tena tatou! I have always had a great interest in languages. My desire to improve my own Maori language speaking ability naturally created an interest in Ta Re Moriori, a completely separate language which is native to Rekohu, an island off the coast of Te Waipounamu.

This episode is an attempt at what I think the language possibly sounds like when spoken, I am indeed no expert at all, and this is all just my own thoughts on how it could possibly sound. I draw on my knowledge of Reo Maori and Olelo Kanaka to help me infer the sound, rhythm and cadence of Ta Re Moriori.

If you are interested in learning more of Ta Re, Moriori Hokotehi is a great resource. They are the kaitiaki of this taonga, and as Ta Re is their language, they would be the experts.

The excerpt I read from is from Alexander Shand's attempt to document the language. Below is the reference and the exact reading.

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 tana, ka tarei ei e 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; 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. 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". 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."

THE MORIORI PEOPLE OF THE CHATHAM ISLANDS: THEIR TRADITIONS AND HISTORY. Ko

matangi-ao. Chapter III.—Manaii (or Manaia), Kahukaka and Porotehiti

Author(s): Alexander Shand

Source:

The Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 3, No. 4 (DECEMBER, 1894), pp. 187-198