Cook Islands Maori

Encyclopedia : C : CO : COO : Cook Islands Maori

The Cook Islands Maori language, also called Māori Kūki 'Āirani, became an official language of the Cook Islands in 2003 Since 1915, English has been the only official language of the Cook Islands. According to Te Reo Maori Act, Maori:

(a) means the Maori language (including its various dialects) as spoken or written in any island of the Cook Islands; and
(b) Is deemed to include Pukapukan as spoken or written in Pukapuka; and
(c) Includes Maori that conforms to the national standard for Maori approved by Kopapa Reo; (see external link).

These dialectsIn a sense of mutual intelligibility of the Cook Islands Maori are :

Rakahanga-Manihiki dialect;
Tongareva dialect (Penrhyn)Tongarevan is sometimes also considered as a distinct language.;
the Ngaputoru dialects of Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke;
Aitutaki dialect;
Rarotonga dialect; and
Mangaia dialect.

It is closely related to Tahitian and New Zealand Maori, and there is a degree of mutual intelligibility with these two languages.

Most Cook Islanders also call it Te reo Ipukarea, literally "the language of the Ancestral Homeland".

The language is regulated by the kopapa reo created in 2003.

The Pukapukan language is considered by scholars as a distinct language closely related with Samoan and the language spoken on the three atolls of Tokelau.

Contents

1 Writing system and pronunciation

1.1 Consonants
1.2 Vowels

2 Grammar

2.1 Personal deictics
2.2 Aspectual marks
2.3 Possessives

3 Vocabulary
4
5 Notes
6 See also
7 External links
8 Dictionaries, learning methods and books in Cook Islands Maori

Writing system and pronunciation

There is actually a debate about the standardization of the writing system. Although the usage of the macron (־) te makaroni, and the glottal (') is recommended, most speakers do not use these two diacritics in everyday writing.

Consonants

	Bilabial	Labiodental	Alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Plosives	( [Listen] )		( [Listen] )	( [Listen] )	( [Listen] )
Nasals	( [Listen] )			( [Listen] )
Taps			( [Listen] )
Fricatives		Manihiki ( [Listen] ) v ( [Listen] )	Penrhyn ( [Listen] )		Manihiki and Penrhyn ( [Listen] )

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close ( [Listen] )
iː
( [Listen] )
uː
Close-mid ( [Listen] )
eː
( [Listen] )
oː
Open a
( [Listen] )
aː

	Front	Central	Back
Close	( [Listen] ) iː		( [Listen] ) uː
Close-mid	( [Listen] ) eː		( [Listen] ) oː
Open		a ( [Listen] ) aː

Grammar

As for most South Pacific languages, classical descriptions are generally based on the system used for Indo-European languages, especially concerning grammatical classes. Today linguists try to avoid it, considering it a form of Glottocentrism, even if any perfect description is adequate. Most of these examples are taken from Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moeka'a, Auckland, 1995.

Personal deictics

Singular

Au : I, me

Ka 'aere au ki te 'āpi'i āpōpō : I'm going to school tomorrow ; Ka 'ārote au inana'i, no te ua rā, kua 'akakore au : I was going to do the ploughing yesterday, but gave it up because of the rain.

Koe : you

Kua kino iā koe tō mātou mōtokā : you damaged our car; Ko koe 'oki, te tangata ta te 'akavā e kimi nei : you are the person the police are looking for.

'Aia : he, she

'Ea'a 'aia i 'aere mai ei : why did he/she come? Kāre aia i konei : he/she is not here

Dual

Tāua : we two, us two (you and I)

'aere tāua : Let us go (you and I); Ko tō tāua taeake tērā ake : Here comes our friends (mine and yours)

Māua : we two, us two (he/she and I)

Ka 'oki māua ma Taria ki te kāinga : Taria and I are going home; No māua te 'are : The house is ours

Kōrua : you two

'Aere kōrua : you two go; Na kōrua teia puka : this book belongs to you two

Rāua : they, them (the two of them)

Mei 'ea mai rāua ? : where the two of them been ?; Ko rāua ko Pā tei no'o ki te kāinga : He (or she) and Pa stayed back at home

Plural

Tātou : We, us (you -2 or more- and I)

Ko'ai tā tātou e tiaki nei : Who are we waiting for ?; Kāre ā tātou kai toe : we have no more food

Mātou : we, us (they and I)

Ko mātou ma Tere mā i 'aere mai ei : We came with Tere and the others; Kua kite mai koe ia mātou : You saw us

Kōtou : (all of you)

E 'aere atu kōtou, ka āru atu au : you go on, and I 'll follow; Ko kōtou ko 'ai mā i aere ei ki te tautai ?: Who did you go fishing with ?

Rātou : they, them (more than two)

Kua pekapeka rātou ko Tere : they and Tere have quarrelled; Nō rātou te pupu māro'iro'i : they have the strongest team

Aspectual marks

Tē… nei : present continuous

Tē manako nei au i te 'oki ki te 'are : I am thinking of going back to the house; Tē kata nei rātou : They are laughing; Kāre au e tanu nei i te pia : I'm not planting any arrowroot;

Kia : Mildly imperative or exhortatory, expressing a desire, a wish rather than a strong command.

Kia vave mai !: be quick ! (don't be long!); Kia viviki mai! : be quick (don't dwaddle!); Kia manuia ! : good luck ! ; Kia rave ana koe i tēnā 'anga'anga : would you do that job; Kia tae mai ki te anga'anga ā te pōpongi Mōnitē : come to work on Monday morning; Teia te tātāpaka, kia kai koe : Here's the breadfruit pudding, eat up.

'ē : Imperative, order

'ē 'eke koe ki raro : you get down; 'ē tū ki kō : stand over there

'Auraka : interdiction, don't

'Auraka rava koe e 'āmiri i teia niuniu ora, ka 'uti'uti 'ia koe : Don't on any account touch this live wire, you'll get shocked

kāre : indicate the negation, not, nothing, nowhere

Kāre nō te ua : It 'll not rain; Kāre a Tī tuatua : Tī doesn't have anything to say.

e… ana : habitual action or state

E 'aere ana koe ki te 'ura : Do you go to the dance?: E no'o ana 'aia ki Nikao i tē reira tuātau : he used to live in Nikao at that time

Ka : Refers prospectively to the commencement of an action or state. Often translatable by and English future tense or "going to" construction

Ka 'īmene 'a Mere ākonei ite pō : Mary is going to sing later on tonight; Kua kite au ē ka riri a Tere : I know (or knew) that Tere will (or would) be angry

Kua : translatable by an English simple past or a present tense (with adjectives)

Kua kite mai koe ia mātou : You saw us; Kua meitaki koe ? : Are you better now; Kua oti te tārekareka : the match is over now

Possessives

Like most Polynesian languages (Tahitian, New Zealand Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, …), Cook Islands Maori has two categories of possessives, the ā and ō.

Generally the ā category is used when the possessor has, or had, control of the relationship, is superior or dominant to what is owned or when the possession is considered as alienable. The ō category is used when the possessor has, or had, no control over the relationship, is subordinate or inferior to what is owned or when the possession is considered as inalienable.

The following list indicates the types of things in the different categories

ā is used in speaking of

- Movable property, instruments,

- Food and drink,

- Husband, wife, children, girlfriend, boyfriend,

- Animals and pets,

- People in an inferior position

Te puaka ā tērā vaine : the pig belonging to that woman; ā Tere tamariki : Tere's children; Kāre ā Tupe mā ika i napō : Tupe and the rest didn't get any fish last night

Tāku ; Tā'au ; Tāna ; Tā tāua ; Tā māua…. : my, mine ; your, yours ; his, her, hers, our ours…

Ko tāku vaine teia : This is my wife; Ko tāna tāne tera : That's her husband; Tā kotou 'apinga : your possession(s); Tā Tare 'apinga : Tera possession(s);

ō is used in speaking of

- Parts of anything

- Feelings

- Buildings and transport

- Clothes

- Parents or other relatives (not husband, wife, children…)

- Superiors

Te 'are ō Tere : The house belonging to Tere; ō Tere pare : Tere's hat; Kāre ō Tina no'o anga e no'o ei : Tina hasn't got anywhere to sit;

Tōku ; Tō'ou ; Tōna ; Tō tāua ; Tō māua…: my, mine ; your, yours ; his, her, hers ; our, ours …

Ko tōku 'are teia : This is my house; I tōku manako, kā tika tāna : In my opinion, he'll be right; Teia tōku, tērā tō'ou : This is mine here, that's yours over there

Vocabulary

Kia orāna or kia ora ana : hello,

Kia manuia : bye

Pē'ea koe : How are you ?

Meitaki (ma'ata) : I'm (very) fine,

Meitaki ! : thank you !

Ko 'ai koe ?/ ko'ai to'ou ingoa ? : who are you ? /What's your name ?

Ko … au ? ko … toku ingoa : I'm …, / my name is…

Ka kite : see you

āpōpō: tomorrow

Inana'i : yesterday

'ārote : plough

Ua : rain, rainy

'akakore : abolish, give up

Mōtokā : car

Kino : bad (general term), hurt, out of order, damaged

Kimi : look for

Kāre : not, nothing

Puaka : pig

Tika : permissible, allowable, correct

'apinga : possession, wealth

tamariki : children; 'āngai tamariki : to adopt children

Papa'ā : white man, European

'Akarongo : hear, listen

Taeake : friend or relative of the same generation (brother, sister, cousin either sex speaking, but not in laws.

Tama : a polite and friendly form of address. 'ē tamamā : my dear friend

Kāinga : home, homestead, land around the house, field, property

Ake : a little distance away, a little time away

'ea : where..;? ; mei 'ea : from where ?

Tiaki : wait for, guard, keep

Ma : with, and

Kite : see, know

Aru : go with, accompany, follow, pursue

Atu : away from the speaker. 'aere atu : to go away

Mai : movement towards the speaker. 'aere mai : to come (by ext. welcome)

Tautai : to fish

Pekapeka : quarrel, dispute

Pupu : group of people, team

Māro'iro'i : strong, healthy. Manako maro'iro'i : strong minded

Manako : Think, mind, idea

Pia : Polynesian arrowroot

Kata : laugh at; laughter; kata 'āviri : ridicule, laugh sneeringly, mockery

Tanu : to plant, cultivate land

'anga'anga : work, job

Pōpongi : morning

Tātāpaka : a kind of breadfruit pudding

'ura : dance, to dance

Tuātau : time, period, season ; ē tuātau 'ua atu : for ever

'īmene : to sing, song

Riri : be angry with (ki)

Tārekareka : entertain, amuse, match, game, play game

If most words of the various dialects of Cook Islands Maori are identical, there are few variations (to complete)

Rarotonga Aitutaki Mangaia Ngāputoru Manihiki Tongareva English
tuatua 'autara taratara speak, speech
kūmara kū'ara kū'ara sweet patatoes
kāre/kore kā'ore ‘āore kare no, not
tātā kiriti tātā write
'ura koni 'ura 'ingo dance
'akaipoipo 'akaipoipo 'ā'āipoipo 'akaipoipo fakaipoipo weddding
'īkoke koroio rakiki thin
'are 'are 'are 'are fare hare house
ma'ata 'atupaka ngao big

Rarotonga	Aitutaki	Mangaia	Ngāputoru	Manihiki	Tongareva	English
tuatua	'autara	taratara				speak, speech
kūmara	kū'ara	kū'ara				sweet patatoes
kāre/kore	kā'ore	‘āore	kare			no, not
tātā	kiriti	tātā				write
'ura	koni	'ura	'ingo			dance
'akaipoipo	'akaipoipo	'ā'āipoipo	'akaipoipo	fakaipoipo		weddding
'īkoke	koroio	rakiki				thin
'are	'are	'are	'are	fare	hare	house
ma'ata	'atupaka	ngao				big

Notes

External links

[Te Reo Maori Act 2003]
[SBS Cook Islands Maori Radio Program.] Updated each week
http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/dictionaries.asp
http://www.cookislands.com/index.html?Mainframe_Dictionary.html
[Cook Islands Ministry of Cultural Development]
[Te Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani i roto i te Kurakarāma o Aotearoa (Cook Islands Maori in the New Zealand Curriculum)]

Dictionaries, learning methods and books in Cook Islands Maori

Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa, edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moeka'a, Auckland, 1995.
A dictionary of the Maori Language of Rarotonga, Manuscript by Stephen Savage, Suva : IPS, USP in association with the Ministry of Education of the Cook Islands, 1983.
Kai Korero : Cook Islands Maori Language Coursebook, Tai Carpentier and Clive Beaumont, Pasifika Press, 1995. (A useful learning Method with oral skills cassette)
Cook Islands Cook Book by Taiora Matenga-Smith. Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies.
Maori Lessons for the Cook Islands, by Taira Rere. Wellington, Islands Educational Division, Department of Education, 1960.
Conversational Maori, Rarotongan Language, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga, Government Printer. 1961.
Some Maori Lessons, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga. Curriculum Production Unit, Department of Education. 1976.
More Maori Lessons, by Taira Rere. Suva, University of the South Pacific.1976
Maori Spelling: Notes for Teachers, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga: Curriculum Production Unit, Education Department.1977.
Traditions and Some Words of the Language of Danger or Pukapuka Island. Journal of the Polynesian Society 13:173-176.1904.
Collection of Articles on Rarotonga Language, by Jasper Buse. London: University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies. 1963.
Manihikian Traditional Narratives: In English and Manihikian: Stories of the Cook Islands (Na fakahiti o Manihiki). Papatoetoe, New Zealand: Te Ropu Kahurangi.1988
Te korero o Aitutaki, na te Are Korero o Aitutaki, Ministry of Culutral Development, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. 1992
Atiu nui Maruarua : E au tua ta'ito, Vainerere Tangatapoto et al. University of South Pacific, Suva 1984. (in Maori and Englsih)
Learning Rarotonga Maori, by Tongi Maki'uti, Ministry of Cultural Development, Rarotonga 1999.
Te uri Reo Maori (translating in Maori), by Tongi Maki'uti Punanga o te reo. 1996.
Atiu, e enua e tona iti tangata, te au tata tuatua Ngatupuna Kautai...(et al.), Suva, University of the South Pacific.1993. (Maori translation of Atiu : an island Community)
A vocabulary of the Mangaian language by Christian, F. W. 1924. Bernice P. Bishop Bulletin 2. Honolulu, Bernice P. Bishop Museum.
E au tuatua ta'ito no Manihiki, Kauraka Kauraka, IPS, USP, Suva. 1987.

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.