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Māori mō te ara o Hinekirikiri – kuputaka

Hinekirikiri is the female guardian of the intertidal zone. Within te ao Māori, seashores occur at the border of the realms of Tangaroa (god of the sea) and Tāne (god of the forest). Many pūrākau are set at this boundary. Similarly, there are many tikanga that are observed there and support the survival and management of this area of environmental richness.

Ngārimu Bay, in the Firth of Thames., New Zealand.

Ngārimu Bay

Ngārimu Bay is located in the Firth of Thames. The vegetation and rocky and sandy substrates offer a variety of habitats for beach-dwelling organisms.

Rights: Anne Barker

Beaches are places of great importance to Māori as sources of food. Each iwi has its own particular protocols to observe when visiting coastal sites or gathering any sea-based resources. It is good to arrange for someone from your local iwi to visit to discuss these protocols with students. Introduction of kupu Māori will encourage development of dual perspectives on understanding this environment.

Kuputaka

Glossary of kupu Māori mō te ara o Hinekirikiri(Māori words associated with the intertidal zone)

ākau

rocky shore

hāpua

lagoon

hāroto

rock pool

huamutu

whelk

ika

fish

kaikiko

carnivore

kaimoana

seafood

kaiota

herbivore

kaitiakitanga

guardianship of the environment

kawau

shag

kōurarangi/meroiti ika

zooplankton

kōuraura

shrimp

kuku

mussel

mānawa

mangrove

meroiti tipu

phytoplankton

moana

sea

mōwhiti

sandhopper

ngaeti

periwinkle

ngākihi

limpet

ngā manu o te moana

seabirds

one kirikiri

shingle shore

onepū

sandy shore

pāpaka

crab

pātangatanga

sea star

pātītī tai

sea grasses

pātitotito

barnacle

petipeti

jellyfish

pūkohu wai

algae

pūngāwerewere/pūwerewere

spider

pūrei

sedge

rāhui

closed season

rimurimu

seaweed

tāhuahua

sand dune

tāhuahua

dune

tai

tide

taihua

tidal zone

taikoraha

mudflat

tātahi

beach

tio

oyster

tōrea

oystercatcher

turituri pourewa

stilt

wahapū

estuary

whanaungatanga

relatedness

wīwī

rushes

Download the kuputaka as a PDF.

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Hub resources with te reo Māori is a curation of resources that have been translated into te reo Māori and a number of resources that feature both te reo Māori and English.

Estuaries – a Māori perspective supports students to engage with this dynamic environment from a te ao Māori perspective.

Use some of the kupu during the Beach visits – habitats and food webs activity.

Published: 26 August 2021Updated: 17 August 2021