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A Maori Podcast

A Maori Podcast

By: Ihira
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About this listen

 Kia ora! Welcome to this podcast! As per the title, it's a Maori podcast and I am Maori. I try to keep the podcast completely in Te Reo, this is mainly because I want to improve my own language skills, and the best way to do it is to completely speak the language. I share my insights into learning and improving my reo Maori skills especially as someone that doesn't reside back in the homeland. Hoi ano, nahaku noa, I hope that you enjoy this mahi, and I'm proud to be Maori and to share our language. Ko te reo kia rere! If you live abroad and need a place to hang out, I finally found a great hangout spot filled with Maori speakers here. Discord - Reo Maori I also have a Patreon where I hope to add some additional value. You can find me here:https://patreon.com/amaoripodcast© 2025 A Maori Podcast Language Learning Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • New Year, New You - How to start learning maori in the New Year

    New Year, New You - How to start learning maori in the New Year
    Dec 31 2025
    Kia ora! Since it is the new year, I thought I'd change up the format, we will still have a whakatauki, then I thought I'd sharemy thoughts on language acquisition, and answer some common questions that pop up, and share some person experiences.Whakatauki - E tia, me te wheke e pupuru ana. [Te Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo, pg. 54]- regular exposure is the key.- focus on the sound of the language.- track your time spent exposed to the language.- the only resources you need are:something to listen tosomething to track your exposureTe Wiremu Maori Dictionary- when trying to express yourself in the reo, ask:'how would I express this if I had no knowledge of English?'- common questions, thoughts, and concerns:question - how long will it take to become fluent?answer - It's better to change your perspective, ask instead 'how long will it take to express myself in the reo?'This answer gives your the flexibility to build upon your experience. If you have no knowledge of the reoexpressing yourself could be as simple as 'Matekai au' - I'm hungry, 'Kei te ako au.' - I'm learning.question - should I buy a reo maori course?answer - A course gives you the opportunity to be held accountable, be part of a community of like-minded individualspursuing a similar goal, and access to someone that is more knowledgeable in the reo than you are that can act as a source of help for you. A course isnt necessary but if you are the type of person that feels will benefit doing a course, then go with what you think is best.question - What books should I use? I hear the Scotty Morrison books are good for beginners?answer - You can purchase and use any books you like if you think it will be beneficial. My outlook is that we are all naturally lazy, the less things we need to do, the less friction there is, the less thinking involved the more likely we are to continue with it. The reason why I recommend Te Wiremu Maori Dictionary as the solebook of study is that it is free, fairly easy to navigate, has a nice structure - it has a word, gives a definition, and has an example sentence (though not all the time). It's also a good resource to just browse the book, to increase your time exposed to the language.question - Should I learn my pepeha?answer - It's up to you really. Pepeha is a means to draw connections between you and the people you are encountering. It's finding a common ancestor, iwi, waka etc to whakawhaunga with each other. If you want to pepeha, then the general format is: maunga, awa, waka, iwi, marae, whanau, you.question - I live overseas. How can I learn the reo when nobody around me speaks it or even knows about it?answer - Kia ora! We are in the same waka. I've lived overseas, and continue to do so. 6 years ago I decided I would start my journey to improve my reo. I followed the above steps and have reached the point I am at in my life now.question - I don't agree with the commercialisation or productisation of our reo maori, we shouldn't have to purchase our languageafter it was forcefully taken away from our ancestors.answer - We have all felt the effects of past injustices, and continue to feel them today. Let me ask this, "Will you start today reclaiming your own reo maori?" You don't need a course to help you reclaim your reo maori, you don't even need to pay anything. You can reach the level I am at doing the same things I did. Regular exposure to the reo, and consistency. I'm 6 years in, and I'm excited to see where I will be in another 6 years. Play the long game.question - Wouldn't my time be better spent learning a more "beneficial" language?answer - Define 'beneficial'?, define which language you think would be better to spend your time on? Now ask yourself "Why have I not starting learning it?, Will I start today?" Ultimately, you do you. Don't rely on what you think you 'should' do.question - What listening content do you recommend?answer - Ideally you want to listen to the same few things. When it starts to feel boring, or tedious, switch to something else.Revisiting things feels like magic too. Often times when you come back to something, you'll notice that you understand a lot more than the last time. But to directly answer your question, here is what I listen to:A Maori Podcast (Since it's completely in the reo, it fits what I look for. It also gives me a chance to review myself as a 'listener'.I pick up on a lot of errors I make, better ways to phrase things, tone, rhythm, cadence, etc.)Radio Kahungunu Archives.News - Te Karere, Aukaha, Tahu News.Taringa - (Mainly bilingual though. Kupu kupu kupu is my favourite series.)question - I'm not Maori, and I feel awkward learning the reo, how do I deal with this?answer - I felt similar when I first started learning Hawaiian. If you can find yourself some friends that are maori, reo speakers, and encouraging that will help you a lot with this feeling. That's how I dealt with it in regards to Hawaiian.question - I don't have time to learn the reo, but I ...
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    48 mins
  • It's Christmas!

    It's Christmas!
    Dec 24 2025

    Kia ora ra e te whanau! It's Xmas so I thought today's episode can follow theme.


    Whakatauki - Me oioi ki te ringa ka puta te tama a Upokoroa. [Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo, pg 54]


    Pangapanga:

    1. Mele Kalikimaka. No tewhea reo te mihi nei? - He reo Hawaii.
    2. Tuturu ranei ki te reo Hawaii taua mihi na a Mele Kalikimaka? He kupu mino ke mai ranei? - Kupu mino mai.
    3. Mo te kararehe nei a Ruana. Ko Ruana ihu aha ra ia? - Ko Ruana ihu wherowhero
    4. Mo te waiata nei, He manu aha kei ro rakau ponga? - He Pukeko.
    5. E whia ra ia nga kararehe kawe waka o Hana Koko? - E iwa.
    6. Whakahuahuatia aua kararehe ingoa?

    Ko Tata - Dasher (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/7620)

    Ko Kani - Dancer (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/2171)

    Ko Hiteki - Prancer (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/1272)

    Ko Nunakia - Vixen (Play on words perhaps? Nanakia meaning tricky/crafty - Nunakia was the name of a ship https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/30011)

    Ko Unahiroa - Comet (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/15093)

    Ko Kuata - Cupid (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/42540)

    Ko Whaitiri - Donner (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/9332)

    Ko Uira - Blitzen (https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/8872)

    Ko Ruana - Rudolf


    He panui:

    He mihi meri kirihimete no te tau 1898. Jubilee : Te Tiupiri, Volume 1, Issue 45, 22 December 1898, Page 1 [ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/JUBIL18981222.2.4 ]


    Wetewete:

    he mihi nui ake i roto i te ngakau mo tona kitenga i te ra whakamaharatanga i whanau ai to tatou Ariki a Ihu Karaiti

    He Kirihimete haringa, me te tau hou.

    Ko te kite a te tinana tangata, ko te korero a te mangai tangata.
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    18 mins
  • Accidentally telling someone to "go and die" - A & O nuances: Written in a book doesn't always mean it's correct.

    Accidentally telling someone to "go and die" - A & O nuances: Written in a book doesn't always mean it's correct.
    Dec 17 2025

    Kia ora! So this week I found and interesting piece from one of the very first Maori grammar books written.

    A grammar and vocabulary of the language of New Zealand, [Thomas Kendall, 1778?-1832., Church Missionary Society, London, 1820].


    The phrase is "Mou tenei toki". The implied meaning is "For you is this axe", however the use of using "mou" here signals that the axe is to be used on said person, rather than being used by the person. This nuance of A & O can drastically change the intention of a phrase.

    It reminds me of the awkward Coca-Cola ad "Kia ora Mate!"


    Anyways I've included references to additional writings regarding A and O by Ray Harlow.

    Ta Rei Harau - e noho a ana nga taputapu hei whakamahia ai e te tangata.

    Small, portable objects which are owned by the possessor, eg books, toys, tools, cups. The reason for the a in these cases is control - the possessor controls, carries or manipulates the possessum. [pg. 141, A Maori Reference Grammar, Harlow.]


    This one is from the Te Wiremu:

    He nohoanga moku e ngaro ai ahau i toku hoa ngangare. - A resting place for me where I shall be hidden from my enemy. [pg. 73, Te Wiremu]


    References for the whakatauki and pangapanga are below:


    whakatauki - he kotuku kai whakaata.[pg. 28 Te Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo.]

    pangapanga:

    1. Ko whea te whenua e tu ana te hanganga nei a Ipo Tiketike ara, Eiffel Tower? - Wiwi, Parani, France
    2. Na wai te ruri rongonui nei a Romeo raua ko Hurieta, ara Romeo and Juliet? - Wiremu Hakipea - William Shakespeare
    3. Ko te wahine nei a Mea i whakamaoritia ra taua pukapuka. Ko wai tona ingoa? - Te Haumihiata Mason
    4. I tangia ai te Mona Riha, ara Mona Lisa e wai? - Nihorarau Te Whiti - Leonardo DaVinci
    5. Ko te tarakona nei, a Komoto, he kararehe aha a ia? - He mokomoko, he taniwha - Lizard.
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    13 mins
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