Kia ora koutou! This week is Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week. Te Wiki is an opportunity for all New Zealanders to celebrate te reo Māori, add some words to their kete of vocab, and foster everyday use of te reo.
Felt’s celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori with a look at some maker-related words that crop up on Felt – here is Monday’s kupu and some lovely taonga from our makers (definition courtesy of Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary):
1. (noun) New Zealand flax, Phormium tenax – an important native plant with long, stiff, upright leaves and dull red flowers. Found on lowland swamps throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. It has straight, upright seed pods. This is a general name for the harakeke leaf and the plant itself, but each different variety has its own name.
Keep checking in this week for more handy maker-related kupu and beautiful handmade taonga. Ka kite anō!
Hutia te rito o te harakeke,
Kei whea te kōmako e kō?
Kī mai ki ahau,
He aha te mea nui o te Ao?
Māku e kī atu,
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata!
If the harakeke heart was removed, where will the bellbird sing?
If I was asked, what was the most important thing in the world?
I would have to to reply, it is people, it is people, it is people!
