Southern farmers share their favourite te reo words and phrases.
Sheep and beef farmer Kate Pont, of Eastern Bush ..."An everyday one I love is ka mau te wehi, which is awesome or fantastic. A favourite whakatauki [Māori proverb] is ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini — success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many — which sits well with my whānau and our business."
Sheep and beef farmer and Otago South River Care project co-ordinator Bex Begg, of Pukeawa ... "Taihoa — meaning wait, hold on, generally used when looking for patience. The pronunciation was generally without the a on the end so something to remember when using it today."
Former Otago Rural Support Trust chairman Mike Lord, of Berwick ... "The words I use the most is kurī for dog, poaka for pig and mahi to work."
Otago Catchment Community regional co-ordinator Sam Dixon, of Dunedin ... "Tiaka — to care, conserve and protect."
Sheep farmer Edward Ellison, of Otago Peninsula ... "My favourite Māori word, I think I would say it is whānau, it has many strands to it beyond the commonly known meaning of family or extended family, or reference to a number of people who may not even have kinship ties. Whānau also means to be born or give birth. Or whānau pani refers to chief mourners, bereaved family, relations of the deceased. Rā whānau is birthday or happy birthday."
AgResearch scientist Jamie Ward, of Dunedin ... "Taihoa — wait, hold on, or hold your horses. I remember that one from when I was a kid, it was used a lot. I don’t hear it so much now."
Sheep, beef and arable farmer Emma Crutchley, of the Maniototo ... "Kanohi ki te kanohi — face-to-face communication where you can not only hear what is being said, but also see and feel the words and the relationship around them. Increased digital technologies create shortcuts to how we communicate; this key principle is fundamental in how we build trust and share information in an increasingly complex world."
Wapiti deer farmer Dave Lawrence, of Browns ..."Toitū te taiao — to sustain the planet."
Dairy farmer Blake Korteweg, of Hedgehope ... "Te toto o te tangata, he kai; te oranga o te tangata, he whenua — while food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land".
DairyNZ Southland and South Otago regional leader Guy Michaels, of Gore ... "The most common one the team uses is ata mārie, for good morning."
