Kotahitanga #3: Season's Change

KOTAHITANGA | COLUMN | WHENUA | TOUCHING GRASS Written by Hirimaia Eketone (they/them) | @hiri_music | Te Ao Māori Editor

Edited by Tashi Donnelly (she/her) | @tashi_rd | Feature Editor

Kia ora e hoa mā, kei te pēhea koe?

As the weather begins to cool, the mornings freeze while the heat still lingers late into the evening. The beauty of the ao around us is forever breathtaking. Summer may be gorgeous and bright, heoi anō there is something about Autumn that always draws me in. Beyond the blatant American capitalism of the pumpkin spice fad (which I’ve never understood), Autumn represents change as we creep closer towards the comforts of a hot fire and nestle into the company that surrounds us.

For today’s Te Reo lesson, we’ll continue the theme from the last couple of issues, focusing on descriptive words, while adding some action sentences that you can use to direct or deflect responsibility. We’ll be covering:

“Makariri”, “e haere ana au ki te ___” and “harikoa.”

Let’s start with the most applicable to the weather change. “Makariri” means cold, shivery, to be icy. Here’s a couple of ways to use it:

Kei te pehea koe?

Kei te makariri au/He tino tino makariri au/Kei te tino makariri au, koe?

( I am cold / I am very very cold / I am very cold, you? )

Next is a new sentence structure that we haven’t looked at yet, however, it’s pretty straightforward to use once you understand how it works! This phrase is used to describe where you're headed.

“E haere ana au ki te ___” translates to “I am going to the ____.”

“E ___ ana” is used for describing what you are doing, ie the use of verbs.

You could say “E hīkoi ana au” I am walking or “E moe ana au” to say I am sleeping. The addition of “ki te” means “to,” I am going “to” this place. It might seem complex at first, but using this simple sentence structure in passing is a sign of dedication to Te Reo revitalisation. Give it a try!

Last but absolutely not least, “harikoa.” “Harikoa” means happy, to be happy, to be joyous. As life settles and we begin to acquaint ourselves with another year of living, I find this lovely word to be a special addition to your database. As usual, here are a couple of ways to use them!

Kei te pehea koe?

Kei te harikoa au / He tino tino tino harikoa au! / Kei te tino harikoa au, na te mea he ataahua te ao!

( I am good/ I am very very very good!/ I am good, because the world is beautiful! )

It’s safe to say I continue to deeply enjoy this process- not only helping develop your understanding as readers, but also my own. Stretching out the basics of Te Reo always makes me happy and it is a good way to feel connected with my culture while informing others. 

As always, mā te wā e hoa mā, I’ll see you in the next one!