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Ngā Upoko Tukutuku

Use Ngā Upoko Tukutuku to find standardised terms for subjects in te reo Māori. Ngā Upoko Tukutuku provides a structured path to a Māori world view within library and archival cataloguing and description.

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Search Ngā Upoko Tukutuku

Search Ngā Upoko Tukutuku for standardised terms for cataloguing or describing subjects in te reo Māori.


Ngā kaupapa hou | New terms — Kohitātea | Hānuere | January 2024

Ako tawhiti — Distance learning
Akoranga mahi ā-rehe — Trades education
Arotakenga mātākōrero — Literature reviews
Haurehu kati mahana — Greenhouse gases
Hokohoko tukunga — Emissions trading schemes
Kaihōpara — Explorers
Kakaruwai — South Island robins
Kōmuru — Osteopathy
Kōpū whāngai — Surrogacy
Korehāhā — Extinction, extinct species
Mata kōkako — Theatrical masks
Ngaru — Waves
Ngaru autōhiko — Electromagnetic waves
Oati piripono — Loyalty oaths
Pūnaha whakarōpū — Taxonomies
Rakahinonga — Entrepreneurship
Reo kapekape — Humorous language
Te Kara o Te Whakaminenga o Nga Hapu o Nu Tireni — Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand
Tikumu — Mountain daisies
Tukanga whakatau — Decision-making process
Whakaiti tukunga haurehu — Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Whakakitenga — Exhibitions
Whakamahere ā-takiwā — City planning

Kohitātea | Hānuere | January 2024 terms commentary

The January 2024 additions to Ngā Upoko Tukutuku include several terms which may be useful in the context of climate change and environmental policy.

Climate change terms

These include Haurehu kati mahana (Greenhouse gases), Hokohoko tukunga (Emissions trading schemes), and Whakaiti tukunga haurehu, which describes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  Sadly, we created a term for extinction and extinct species, Korehāhā, which sits along Momo whatungarongaro,  the existing term for endangered and threatened species,

Birds and plants

On a happier note, the terms relating to species of robin and their geographical distribution were reviewed, leading to adding Kakaruwai to describe South Island robins. We added a new term, Pūnaha whakarōpū to describe such taxonomic relationships. We also created a new term for Tikumu (Mountain daisies), an alpine plant with white daisies blooming above rosettes of leaves or on low-growing shrubs in spring and early summer. The silvery undersides of Tikumu leaves may be used for weaving kākahu (garments) and poi, and Te Papa holds an exquisite Kākahu tikumu in their collections.

Describing waves

A request for Ngaru autōhiko (Electromagnetic waves) led to the realisation that there was no descriptor in Ngā Upoko Tukutuku for any kind of wave. We have now added Ngaru to describe ocean waves.

Flags and loyatly oaths

Te Whakakaokao has created a new term for Te Kara o Te Whakaminenga o Nga Hapu o Nu Tireni, the Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand. Te Kara was first flown at Waitangi in March 1934. A term has also been added for Loyalty oaths, Oati piripono. While Te Whakakaokao generally prefers to avoid transliterations of English terms ‘Loyalty oaths’ are very much a Pākehā concept, and a loan word is appropriate in this context.

Environmental policy

Other terms of interest include Whakamahere ā-takiwā (Town planning), Rakahinonga (Entrepreneurship), and Tukanga whakatau, which describes decision-making processes.

Education and arts

Several terms have been added to describe concepts relating to education and the arts. These include Ako tawhiti (Distance learning), Akoranga mahi ā-rehe (Trades education), and Whakakitenga, a general term for exhibitions of all kinds. The language of poking fun, Reo kapekape now features in Ngā Upoko Tukutuku, and may be used to describe humorous language used in informal situations. There is also now a term for theatrical masks, Mata kōkako. This name references the black facial mask of the kōkako and is familiar to performing artists.


Use Ngā Upoko Tukutuku

You can search Ngā Upoko Tukutuku to find standardised terms for subjects in te reo Māori. Use them when cataloguing and describing relevant material.

How Ngā Upoko Tukutuku works

Conceptual framework

In the Māori worldview, aspects of taha tinana/the people, taha wairua/the spiritual and taha hinengaro/the mind are intrinsically connected and related to each other. This model recognises both the traditional and contemporary perspectives.

A diagram showing the primary elements of the Māori worldview and their relationships.

Building a thesaurus requires adherence to standard conventions in the use of terms and how they are applied. Ngā Upoko Tukutuku uses a framework that retains the integrity of both worlds.

About the project

Ngā Upoku Tukutuku was developed by the Māori Subject Headings Project, jointly sponsored by LIANZA, Te Rōpū Whakahau, and the National Library.

The tool provides a structured path to a Māori world view within library and archival cataloguing and description. It supports cataloguers and descriptive archivists to assign appropriate terms for the material, and helps users find those items within a framework they relate to.

The terms listed are not a dictionary, and shouldn’t be seen as authoritative beyond their use in libraries and archives.

New terms are developed by Te Whakakaokao, the Ngā Upoko Tukutuku Reo Māori Working Group.

Logos for Te Rōpū Whakahau, LIANZA and National Library

Te Whakamahi i Ngā Upoko Tukutuku

Rapu hei kimi i ngā kupu arowhānui mō ngā kaupapa i roto i te reo Māori. Whakamahia ēnei ina whakarārangi ana me te whakamārama rauemi hāngai.

Pēhea te mahi a Ngā Upoko Tukutuku

Poutarāwaho Ariā

I te ao Māori, nā Io te orokohanga me te whakaotinga. Kei te tūhonohono me te hāngai ngā āhuatanga o te taha tinana, taha wairua me te taha hinengaro. E whakamana ana tēnei Tauira i I ngā tirohanga tūturu, hou hoki.

A diagram showing the primary elements of the Māori worldview and their relationships.

E hiahiatia ana e te hanganga punakupu kia mau ki ngā tikanga arowhānui mō te whakamahi i ngā kupu, ā, me pēhea te whakamahi. Ka whakamahia e Ngā Upoko Tukutuku tētahi poutarāwaho e mau ana i te mana o ngā ao e rua.

Mō te kaupapa

He mea waihanga te Rārangi Ingoa Iwi Hapū e te Kaupapa Upoko Tukutuku Māori, he mea tautoko e LIANZA, Te Rōpū Whakahau me Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

Ka tukuna e te utauta he ara hanganga ki tētahi tirohanga ao Māori i roto i ngā whakarārangitanga me ngā whakamāramatanga whare pukapuka me te pūranga. He tautoko i ngā kaiwhakarārangi me ngā kaitiaki pūranga ki te whakarite i ngā kupu tika mō ngā rauemi, me te āwhina i ngā kaiwhakamahi ki te kimi i aua tuemi i roto i tētahi poutarāwaho e hāngai ana.

Ehara ngā ingoa e rārangi ana i te papakupu, ka mutu e whakamahia noatia ana mō roto i ngā whare pukapuka me ngā pūranga.

Ka waihangatia ngā kupu hou e Te Whakakaokao, Te Ropū Mahi Reo Māori Ngā Upoko Tukutuku Reo Māori.

Logos for Te Rōpū Whakahau, LIANZA and National Library