We have used te reo Māori/the Māori language throughout our rauemi/resources. At the end of each downloadable resource we have provided a kuputaka/glossary for the terms used in that particular rauemi.
We have also compiled the list of kupu/words used throughout our resources alongside their definitions in a PDF download. If you're unfamiliar with te reo Māori, it may be helpful for you to have this list separately as an accompaniment to refer to kupu throughout the resources as you use them.
It's important to acknowledge that many kupu Māori/Māori words are conceptual without English equivalents and can’t be translated fully in a few words, and that many kupu can have different meanings depending on context.
To look up any other kupu, as well as for pronunciation support for this list of words, we recommend using Te Aka - Māori Dictionary. This can be accessed for free at www.maoridictionary.co.nz. Te Aka has both Māori-English and English-Māori entries, and it's got over 24,000 kupu Māori in its database, with more being added all the time. It contains grammatical in-text examples for each entry, and has a handy audio function for whakahua/pronunciation support.
Disclaimer
How To Tangi resources are intended as a starting point for further research and discussion with your whānau and community about death, dying, and tangihanga/funerals - not as a complete guide. The information in this resource is current as at April 2025 and accurate to the best of our knowledge. Reo Māori Mai assumes no responsibility or liability for actions taken based on any of our How To Tangi content or of any other sources linked in this content.
