Literally means ‘to keep the home fires burning’. Is a reference to continuous occupation - important for maintaining claims to use and occupation rights.

Genealogical connections

Literally means ‘people of the land’ and is a common reference to the indigenous people of an area.

Literally means ‘normal’ as opposed to ‘other or abnormal’. It is now the reference to the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ancestors

Family, including extended family – grandparents, aunties & uncles, and cousins. Traditionally Maori subscribe to the philosophy ‘that it takes a village to bring up a child’. Hence, in the Maori language our mother and our aunties are all referred to generically as Whaea, likewise with our father and our parent’s brothers are all referred to as Matua.
Whanau also means ‘to birth’.

A grouping of several whanau. Traditionally this is the power base, where most activity was and is still undertaken. Hapu is also a reference to the state of being pregnant.

The wider tribal grouping of several hapu, connected by whakapapa.
Iwi is also a derivative of the word ‘koiwi’ which means ‘bones’.

As a part of whakawhanaungatanga – making connections it is common to identify the particular waka from whence our ancestors journeyed to Aotearoa.

A gift or treasure handed down through the generations

Literally ‘a place to stand’ refers to the customary right based on whakapapa to participate in community affairs.

The Land Stealing Court

A native tree

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