Te Ao Māori
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Te Ao Māori means the Māori world. A simple definition but one that covers so much, including te reo Māori (the Māori language) and tikanga Māori (customs and protocols). Te Ao Māori is the way with which Māori live, see and interact with the world around them through their cultural lens. This interaction exists in both the physical and spiritual worlds.
Discover how te ao Māori influences international education in modern-day Aotearoa New Zealand
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
This founding document is unique – a treaty between many Māori rangatira (chiefs) and the British Crown. Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840 and represents an agreement between both groups on governance and rights over resources, although the accuracy of its translation from English into Māori continues to be discussed and debated. The history of New Zealand is rich and complicated and we invite you to find out more about it. We mark the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi with a public holiday each year on February 6.
You can explore a version of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi online or if you are in Wellington visit He Tohu at the National Library. If you are in Northland you can visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the treaty was first signed. It's about a 3-hour drive north of Auckland.
Te reo Māori words (kupu)
Here are a few te reo words you might hear often:
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