Whakataukī
E hoki ki ō maunga, ki ō awa, kia purea ai koe i ngā hauora ō Tāwhirimatea.
Return to your mountains, and your rivers, that you may be cleansed by the healing winds of Tāwhirimātea.
E tūtaki ana ngā kapua o te rangi, kei runga te Mangōroa e kōpae pū ana.
The clouds in the sky gather, but above them extends the Milky Way.
Ko te manu e kai ana te miro nōna te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana te mātauranga nōna te ao.
The bird that feasts on the miro reigns in the forest, the bird that feasts on education has access to the world
Mā whero, mā pango ka oti ai te mahi.
By black and red together it is done. (By the united efforts of chiefs and commoners can the task be accomplished
E kore te pātiki e hoki ki tōna puehu.
The flounder will not go back to the mud it has stirred.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
My strength is not that of a single warrior, but that of many.
E koekoe te tūi, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū.
The tūi chatters, the parrot gabbles, the wood pigeon coos.
He kōtuku rerenga tahi.
A white heron flies once
E mao ana ki ua, e ua ana ki mao.
It is fine until it rains, it rains until it is fine.
Moe atu ki te ringa raupo.
Marry a man with calloused hands
He tangata takahi manuhiri, he marae puehu.
A person who mistreats his guest has a dusty Marae
Pai ake te iti i te kore rawatū
Little is better than nothing at all.
He toka tū moana
As durable as a rock pounded by the surf.
Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei.
Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain
Kua hinga te tōtara i te wao tapu nui a Tāne.
The tōtara has fallen in the sacred forest of Tāne
Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku māpihi maurea.
My language is my awakening, my language is my treasure.
Tangata ako ana i te kāinga, te tūranga ki te marae, tau ana.
A person who is nurtured at home, will stand strong on the Marae
Ahakoa he iti he pounamu.
Although it is small, it is greenstone
Kia ū ki te pai.
Stay resolute to that which is good.
Kāore te kumara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka.
The kumara (sweet potato) does not say how sweet he is
Ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi.
As a old net withers another is remade
Ki te kāhore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi.
Without foresight or vision the people will be lost
He waka eke noa.
We are all in this (boat) together.
Mā te ngākau aroha koe e ārahi
Let a loving heart guide your decisions.
Kaua e mate wheke mate ururoa.
Don't die like a octopus, die like a hammerhead shark
E hoa ma, ina te ora o te tangata.
My friends, this is the essence of life
Kua takoto te mānuka.
The mānuka (challenge) has been laid down.
He kākano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiātea.
I am a seed which was sewn in the heavens of Rangiātea
Tama tu tama ora, tama moe, tama mate
He who stands, lives; he who sits, perishes.
He manako te koura i kore ai.
Wishing for the crayfish won’t bring it.
Te anga karaka, te anga koura, kei kitea te Marae.
The shells of the karaka berry, and the shells of the crayfish, should not be seen from the Marae
He kai kei aku ringa.
There is food at the end of my hands
Nāku te rourou nāu te rourou ka ora ai te iwi.
With your basket and my basket the people will live
Waiho mā te tangata e mihi.
Leave your praises for someone else
Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua.
When one house dies, a second lives
He tangata ki tahi.
A man of a single word.