12. Pepeha
Back to 52 Weeks
This week we return to look at the kaupapa of pepeha – particularly how we can tailor our pepeha to suit our audience.
Resource Sheet RUA provides foundational information on the kaupapa of pepeha – check it out to review and develop your understanding.
As we become more familiar with our pepeha we are able to shape what we say to connect with and specifically honour the people to whom we are speaking.
Patai: How confident are you feeling with your pepeha? Are you able to stand and speak without using notes? The next step is to learn some phrases that will help you adapt your kōrero to different situations.
For your Kete
The whakatauki for this week reiterates the importance of connection and reciprocity described in mihi and pepeha:
Mana mai mana atu
Mauri mai mauri atu
Tapu mai tapu atu
Tiaki mai tiaki atu
This whakatauki communicates notions of respect, life, reverence and responsibility received and given.
Kōrero: What experiences of reciprocity have you had as you have shared your pepeha and listened to others? Have you been able to make connections with others? Have others made connections with you? Share your experiences.
Whakaaroarohia: When you have spent time creating sentences for your pepeha using the grammar below, spend some time reviewing those tricky little words – the particles / articles / prepositions – that don’t have direct translations but are important to structure the meaning of your sentences.
Once you have learnt the core parts of your pepeha, you can add sentences to acknowledge tangata whenua of the places you identify. This is an important way to show respect.
I will demonstrate three ways you can use this structure below. I will give examples, using my own context and then break down the grammar structures so you can construct and practise sentences for yourself.
There are three key prepositions we will learn here:
Nō – indicating place of origin
Kei – indicating current location
Kei te- indicating a verbal sentence in the present tense
To acknowledge the people of the place you originate from:
Nō Te Raki Paewhenua ahau.
I am from Te Raki Paewhenua.
Kei te mihi ahau ki ngā tangata whenua, ko Ngāti-Whātua-o-Ōrākei.
I greet the people, Ngāti-Whātua-o-Ōrākei.
To acknowledge the people of the place you now live:
Kei Tauranga Moana tōku kainga inaianei.
My home now is Tauranga Moana.
Kei te mihi ahau ki ngā tangata whenua, ko Ngai te Rangi, ko Ngāti Ranginui, ko Ngāti Pukenga hoki.
I greet the people of the area, Ngai te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, and Ngāti Pukenga also.
To acknowledge the people of the place you are visiting or speaking:
Kei te mihi ahau ki ngā tangata whenua o tenei rohe, ko …
I greet the people of this area …
Taking the time and making the effort to find out who are tangata whenua in the area you are visiting or speaking in demonstrates the respect you have for them and their role.
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