Cook Islands Māori

Cook Islands Māori is an Eastern Polynesian language that is an official language of the Cook Islands. It is closely related to, but distinct from, New Zealand Māori. Cook Islands Māori is called just Māori when there is no need to distinguish it from New Zealand Māori. It is also known as Māori Kūki Āirani (or Maori Kuki Airani), or as Rarotongan. Many Cook Islanders also call it Te Reo Ipukarea, which translates as 'the language of the ancestral homeland'.

Dialects

Although most words of the various dialects of Cook Islands Māori are identical, there are some differences.

{|class="wikitable"

! Rarotonga || Aitutaki|| Mangaia|| Ngāputoru || Manihiki || Tongareva || English

| || || || || || || speak, speech

| ānau || || ānau|| ānau|| fanau || hanau || family

| kūmara || kūara || kūara || kūmara || kūmara ||kumala || sweet potato

| kāre || kāore, āore || ei, āore ||āita, kāre || kaua, kāre || kore||no, not

| tātā || kiriti || tātā || tātā || tātā ||tata || write

| ura || koni || ura || ingo, oriori, ura || hupahupa || kosaki || dance

| akaipoipo ||akaipoipo || āāipoipo || akaipoipo || fakaipoipo || selenga || wedding

| īkoke || koroio || rakiki || tūngāngā|| hikoke || mokisi|| thin

| are || are || are || are || fare || hare || house

| maata || atupaka || ngao || nui, nunui, ranuinui || kore reka || polia || big

| matū, pete || ngenengene || pori || poripori || menemene || suesue || fat

Demographics

{| class="wikitable"

! Place

! Cook Islands Māori-speaking population

| Cook Islands

| 13,620

| New Zealand

| 7,725

| New South Wales

| 1,612

| Queensland

| 1,609

| Victoria

| 1,468

| Western Australia

| 308

| South Australia

| 63

| Northern Territory

| 21

| Tasmania

| 10

Official status

English is an official language of the Cook Islands, and Cook Islands Māori became an official language also in 2003, as defined by the Te Reo Maori Act 2003.

The Te Reo Maori Act states that Māori:

Phonology

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Consonants

!|Labial

!Alveolar

!Velar

!Glottal

!Nasal

!Plosive

!Tap

!Fricative

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Vowel inventory

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Front

! colspan="2" | Central

! colspan="2" | Back

! ||

! High

| ||

! Mid

| ||

! Low

| ||

Writing system

There is a debate about the standardisation of the writing system. Although usage of the macron (־) makarona and the glottal stop () amata is recommended, most speakers do not use them in everyday writing. The Cook Islands Māori Revised New Testament uses a standardised orthography that includes the okina and macron.

Grammar

Cook Islands Māori is an isolating language with very little morphology. Case is marked by the particle that initiates a noun phrase, and like most East Polynesian languages, Cook Islands Māori has nominative-accusative case marking.

The unmarked constituent order is predicate initial: that is, verb initial in verbal sentences and nominal-predicate initial in non-verbal sentences.

Personal pronouns

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"

! Person

! Singular

! Dual

! Plural

! 1st inclusive

| rowspan="2" | au || tāua || tātou1

! 1st exclusive

| māua || mātou2

! 2nd

| koe || kōrua || kōtou

! 3rd

| aia || rāua || rātou

you -2 or more- and I
they and I

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" width="100%"

|+ Singular pronoun examples

! Pronoun !! width="33%" | Cook Islands Maori || width="33%" | English || width="33%" | Word-to-word and gloss

! rowspan="2" | au

|Ka aere au ki te āpii āpōpō ||I'm going to school tomorrow. || (unaccomplished asp.)/ go / I / (prep. goal/destination) / the / learn / tomorrow

|Ka ārote au inanai, nō te ua rā, kua akakore au||I was going to do the ploughing yesterday, but gave it up because of the rain.

|| (unaccomplished asp.) / plough / I / yesterday / because (origin) / the / rain / day /(perfect asp.) / give up (litt. "do nothing") /I

! rowspan="2" | koe

|Kua kino iā koe tō mātou mōtokā ||You damaged our car. || (perfect asp.) / bad / by / you /(possession)/we (exclusive) /car

|Ko koe oki, te tangata tā te akavā e kimi nei ||You are the person the police are looking for. || (subject marker) / you / also / the / man / (possession) / the / police / (progressive asp. with "nei") /look for/here and now.

! rowspan="2" | aia

| Eaa aia i aere mai ei ||Why did he/she come? || why (eaa... ei) / he or she / (accomplished asp) / go / towards me /

|Kāre aia i konei ||He/she is not here. || (negation asp.) / he or she / (marking position) / here

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" width="100%"

|+ Dual pronoun examples

! Pronoun !! width="33%" | Cook Islands Maori || width="33%" | English || width="33%" | Word-to-word and gloss

! rowspan="2" | Tāua

| aere tāua !||Let us go! || go / we two (inclusive)

|Ko tō tāua taeake tērā ake || Here come our friends. || (subject marker) / (possession) / we two (inclusive) / friend or relative of the same generation (brother, sister, cousin either sex) speaking, but not in laws./ that (deictic)/ a little time (or distance)away

! rowspan="2" | we two, us two (he/she and I)

| Ka oki māua ko Taria ki te kāinga || Taria and I are going back home. || (unaccomplished asp.)/ return / we two (exclusive) / with / Taria/ (prep. goal)/ the / home

|To tāua taeake tērā ake || Here come our friends. || (subject marker) / possession / we two (exclusive) / friend / that (deictic)/ a little time (or distance away)

! rowspan="2" | Kōrua : you two

| āe ! kua rongo kōrua i te nūti! || Hey! Have you heard the news? || hey (interj) / (perfect asp.) / hear / you two / (object marker) / the / news /

| Na kōrua teia puka || This book belongs to you two. || (Possession) / you two / this (deictic) / book

! rowspan="2" | Rāua : they, them (the two of them)

| Tuatua muna tēia, ka akakite ua atu au kia rāua || This is a confidential matter, I shall only tell it to those two. || speak, speech / secret / this / (unaccomplished asp.) / reveal (make known) / only / away (from the speaker)/ I / (prep. ki+a)towards (someone)/ they two

| No ea mai rāua ? || Where have the two of them been? / What have they been doing? || from / (time and space interr.) / (indicating progression of time towards present) / they two

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" width="100%"

|+ Plural pronoun examples

! Pronoun !! width="33%" | Cook Islands Maori || width="33%" | English || width="33%" | Word-to-word and gloss

! rowspan="2" | Tātou : We, us (you -2 or more- and I)

| Koai tā tātou e tiaki nei || Who are we waiting for? || Who (subject marker+identity interr.) / (possession) / we, all of us (inclusive) / (progressive asp.) / wait for / here and now

| Kāre ā tātou kai toe || We have no more food. || (Negation asp.) / (possession) / we, all of us (inclusive) / eat, food / remain, remaining, the rest

! rowspan="2" | Mātou : we, us (they and I)

| Ko mātou ma Tere mā i aere mai ei || We came with Tere and the others. || (subject marker)/ we (exclusive) / with, and / Tere / (part used only after persons meaning those in company with / (accomplisshed asp.) / go / (movement towards speaker) / (emphasis marks)

| Kua kite mai koe ia mātou || You saw us. || (perfect asp.) / see(towards speaker) / you / at someone (i+a) / we (exclusive)

! rowspan="2" | Kōtou : (all of you)

| E aere atu kōtou, ka āru atu au || You go on, and I'll follow. || (imperative asp.)/ go / (away from the speaker) / you all / (unaccomplished asp.) / follow / go / (away from the speaker) / I

| Ko kōtou koai mā i aere ei ki te tautai? || Who did you go fishing with?|| (Subject marker) / you all / who (identity interr.) / in company with / (accomplished asp.) / go / (emphasis) / (goal/destination) / the / fishing

! rowspan="2" | Rātou : they, them (more than two)

| Kua pekapeka rātou ko Tere || They and Tere have quarrelled. || (perfect asp.)/ trouble / they all / (subject marker)/ Tere

| Nō rātou te pupu māroiroi || They have the strongest team. || (Possession) / they all / the / team (litt. group of people) / strong

Tense–Aspect–Mood markers

{| class="wikitable"

! Marker

! Aspect

! Examples

| present continuous

: I am thinking of going back to the house

: They are laughing

: I'm not planting any arrowroot

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

: be quick ! (don't be long!)

: be quick (don't dawdle!)

: good luck!

: would you do that job

: come to work on Monday morning

: Here's the breadfruit pudding, eat up

|Imperative, order

: you get down

: stand over there

| interdiction, don't

: don't on any account touch this live wire, you'll get a shock

| indicate the negation, not, nothing, nowhere

: It will not rain

: Tī doesn't have anything to say

| habitual action or state

: Do you go to the dance?

: he used to live in Nikao at that time

| Refers prospectively to the commencement of an action or state. Often translatable as the English future tense or "going to" construction

: Mary is going to sing later on tonight

: I know (or knew) that Tere will (or would) be angry

| translatable as the English simple past or present tense (with adjectives)

: You saw us

? : Are you better now?

: the match is over now

Most of the preceding examples were taken from Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moekaa, Auckland, 1995.

Possessives

Like most other Polynesian languages (Tahitian, New Zealand Māori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan ...), Cook Islands Māori has two categories of possessives, "a" and "o".

Generally, the "a" category is used when the possessor has or had control over the initiation of the possessive relationship. Usually this means that the possessor is superior or dominant to what is owned, or that the possession is considered as alienable. The "o" category is used when the possessor has or had no control over the initiation of the relationship. This usually means that the possessor is subordinate or inferior to what is owned, or that the possession is considered to be inalienable.

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

a is used in speaking of
Movable property, instruments,
Food and drink,
Husband, wife, children, grandchildren, girlfriend, boyfriend,
Animals and pets, (except for horses)
People in an inferior position

: Te puaka a tērā vaine : the pig belonging to that woman;

: ā Tere tamariki : Tere's children;

: Kāre ā Tupe mā ika inapō : Tupe and the rest didn't get any fish last night

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

: Ko tāku vaine tēia : This is my wife;

: Ko tāna tāne tērā : That's her husband;

: Tā kotou apinga : your possession(s);

: Tā Tare apinga : Tērā possession(s);

o is used in speaking of
Parts of anything
Feelings
Buildings and transport (including horses)
Clothes
Parents or other relatives (not husband, wife, children...)
Superiors

: Te are o Tere : The house belonging to Tere;

: ō Tere pare : Tere's hat;

: Kāre ō Tina noo anga e noo ei : Tina hasn't got anywhere to sit;

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

: Ko tōku are tēia : This is my house;

: I tōku manako, ka tika tāna : In my opinion, he'll be right;

: Tēia tōku, tērā tōou : This is mine here, that's yours over there

Vocabulary

Pia : Polynesian arrowroot
Kata : laugh at; laughter;
kata āviri : ridicule, jeer, mock
Tanu : to plant, cultivate land
angaanga : work, job
Pōpongi : morning
Tātāpaka : a kind of breadfruit pudding
Tuātau : time, period, season;
ē tuātau ua atu : forever
īmene : to sing, song
Riri : be angry with (ki)
Tārekareka : entertain, amuse, match, game, play game

Sample text

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Cook Islands Māori (Rarotongan):<blockquote>Kua anau rangatira ia te tangata katoatoa ma te aiteite i te au tikaanga e te tu ngateitei tiratiratu. Kua ki ia ratou e te mero kimi ravenga e te akavangakau e kia akono tetai i tetai, i roto i te vaerua piri anga taeake.</blockquote>Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in English:<blockquote>All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.</blockquote>

Notes

Sources

Cook Islands Maori Database Project, an online project created to build a collection of Cook Islands Maori words based on existing print dictionaries and other sources
Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa, edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moekaa, 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 Cultural Development, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. 1992
Atiu nui Maruarua: E au tua taito, Vainerere Tangatapoto et al. University of South Pacific, Suva 1984. (in Maori and English)
Learning Rarotonga Maori, by Makiuti Tongia, Ministry of Cultural Development, Rarotonga 1999.
Te uri Reo Maori (translating in Maori), by Makiuti Tongia, 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 taito no Manihiki, Kauraka Kauraka, IPS, USP, Suva. 1987.

External links

Dictionary of Cook Islands Languages.
Te akataka reo Rarotonga; or, Rarotongan and English grammar by the Rev Aaron Buzacott of the London Missionary Society, Rarotonga. 1854. Old grammar in English and Rarotongan
"Tuatua mai!" Learn Cook Islands Maori
SBS Cook Islands Maori Radio Program. Updated each week
Cook Islands Biodiversity: Natural History Māori Dictionaries
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)
Collected songs and legends from the southern Cook Islands (c. 1883–1912) at the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
Box of 324 index cards of plant and animal names archived with Kaipuleohone
Paradisec has an open access collection of Cook Island Maori materials
Materials on Cook Islands Maori are included in the open access [Arthur Capell] collection (AC1) held by Paradisec.