This week (September 13-19) marks Māori Language Week – Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – an initiative promoting the use of Māori language.
The New Zealand wine industry is embracing Te Reo, with many winegrowers making a deeper connection with Māori culture and values by recognising the significance of their land, the history and relationship with the people.
“Māori are generous hosts and they love nothing more than feeding and nurturing people to ensure guests experience a warm, friendly welcome,” says New Zealand Winegrowers.
“Manaakitanga also includes care and respect for the natural environment and is practised by the majority of wineries throughout New Zealand, as is kaitiakitanga (kye-tea-ar-key-tung-a), another core value of Māori culture relating to guardianship of the land to protect it for future generations.
“Kaitiakitanga is a belief that natures resources belong to the earth, and people are welcome to use these resources, as long as they do so respectfully.”
NZ Winegrowers says the New Zealand wine industry also embraces the principles of whanaungatanga (far-no-na-tar-na), which is about relationships, kinship, and a sense of family connection.
“It is created through shared experiences and through working together, provides people with a sense of belonging.”
To celebrate this special week, New Zealand Winegrowers have some words and phrases associated with the wine industry that you can practice during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
– Bottle of wine – pounamu wāina
– Sparkling wine – wāina pango
– Glass of wine – karaihe wāina
– Wine tasting – te tihi wāina
– Wine list – rārangi wāina
– White wine – wāina ma
– Red wine – wāina whero
“Many NZ wine-producing areas are near rivers and bodies of water, so you will find the Maori word ‘wai’ included in many place names like Wairarapa (glistening waters), Waipara (muddy water), Waitaki (weeping waters / water of tears) and Waiheke Island (the descending waters) – all winegrowing regions of Aotearoa New Zealand,” says NZ Winegrowers.
For more from NZ Winegrowers on Te Reo Māori and Wāina, click here.
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