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Takitimu

Appendix B. — Whakatauaki or Proverbial Sayings

page 242

Appendix B.
Whakatauaki or Proverbial Sayings

Hohonu Kaki Papaku Uaua.

(Deep-throated, but weak muscles.)

A remark against a lazy glutton.

He ao Te Rangi ka uhia, ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere ai.

(As clouds bedeck the heavens, so do feathers to enable birds to fly.)

Remarked by Tama-te-rangi not having suitable garments.

Ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi.

(The worn-out net is cast aside, and the new one goes a-fishing.)

Said of an old man who is past work and sits in his wkare, and of young men who take up their work.

He tangi to te tamariki? A, He whakama to te kaumatua.

(A spoilt child may shed tears, but the parents will suffer with shame.)

A remark against insolent children.

Iti te kopara kai—tarerere ana i te puhi o te kahika.

(Though the bird may be small it will swing on the top of the kahika tree.)

To those energetic and aspiring to leadership; by Manawa, see Tapuae's history.

Iti te matakahi pangaia atu ki roto kite totara pakaru rikiriki.

(The wedge may be small, but it will split the log into pieces.)

Kaua e hoki i te waewae tutuki, a, apa ano hei te upoko pakaru.

(Not to turn back through stumbling of feet, but only by a broken head.) Not to turn back through minor injuries, but to continue to the end. See Te-O-Tane's history.

E mua kai kai? E muri kai huare.

(First arrivals eat food, those after the saliva.)

Expression to late arrivals. By Taimapuna to a late arival.

Te kai a te tangata ke, he kai titongi kaki? Te ki a tona ringa tino kai, tino makona.

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(Borrowed food only tickle the throat, but gathered by his own hand will eat with contentment.)

Remark to those too lazy to make provision for themselves.

He manako te koura i kore ai.

(The wish for fish will bring none, or wish is further than thought.)

Said by Hikairo, as he was walking into his pa, a raiding party remarked: "O, there goes a fat meat for us."

E roa a raro e tata a runga.

(The journey is long and the dark clouds are very near.)

Remarked by Taharakau in undertaking a journey without a rain coat. See Tapuae's history.

He whare tu kite paenga he kai na te ahi? A te whare maihi i tu ki roto ite pa tuwatawata a kahukuranui, he tohu no te rangatira.

(A house that stands alone is the food for fire, but an adorned house that stands in the stockaded pa of kahakuranui is the token of a chief.)

Expressed by Taharakau, as the power of a chief. See Tapuae's history.

Ehara noa ko nga hoaketanga kore a taupuhikai.

(It is only the last helpless effort of Tapuhikai.)

Ehara ko nga nenenga o Raurangi.

(It is only in remembrance of those gay old days.)

These two sayings by Tapuhikai prior to being killed.

He whakawa hoki ta raro? A te taniwha e ngau ake?

(There is no law suit below, and unlike a demon do not bite.)

A remark against people marrying. close relations.

He iti wahine he kopua wai, a, ka he to manawa.

(Small women have sufficient ability and will choke your breathing.)

Said in support of small women.

He toonga ke ta te tangata, a, he toonga ke ta te kauri.

(The moulding of the parent is the first stage, the tattooing which is the final is left to the expert.)

Said of the education or adorning of a person.

Ka moe te mata hii tuna, ka ara te mata hii taua.

(The eyes of the eel fisher sleeps, the face of the sentinel is wake.)

Remark to a drowsy person to be alert. See Ngaherehere's history.

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Taku ahi ka i uta, taku mate kite moana te whakautua?

(My misfortune on land can be avenged but my misforune at sea can never be avenged.)

Said of those who die at sea.

Kai noana a Maruhanene i tana koko tute, te ika i Takapuwheke te wahia.

(Maruhanene alone eat his preserved bird for the fish at Takapuwheke was never divided.)

Expression against a greedy person.

Ha, haere ake nei? Hoki mai, nei, a peka mai nei?

(What? Going past, returning, and now calling in?)

See the history of Ngaherehere.

He iti na Tuhoe e kata te po.

(Few by Tuhoe will make Hades laugh.)

By Rangi-te-ao-rere to a dubious remark to the smallness of his fighting force. See his history.

Taku he ki te huiatea, no muri te huauri.

(My mistake in selecting a commoner, and only after came the gratifying one.)

Expressed by Rongomai-awhia (wife of Tamanuhiri), of her mistake in choosing her first husband.. Note: The word Tehuauri was made to apply as a hapu name of her descen dants who live at Muriwai, Poverty Bay.

Te tangata i te whakautu, whakanakanakotia, te tangata i te whaka utu kore ko koia kia tatahi.

(The work of the compensator is elaborately done, but of the non-payer is roughly done.)

Refers to the work of tattooing.

Waiho ra kia tu takitahi ana nga whetu o te rangi.

(Let it be one star that stands alone in the sky.)

Expressed by Rakai-hikuroa to have one chief for the people. See Taraia's history.

He toa taua, ma te taua; he toa piki pari ma te pari; te toa mahi kai ma te huhu.

(A warrior dies in battle, a cragsman on a cliff, but a food cultivator of old age.)

He urunga tangata, he urunga pahekeheke.

(The human pillow is a slippery one.)

An advice to use one's own resources and not depend on others.

He puta taua ki te tone, he whanau tamariki ki te wahine.

(A man's duty is on the battlefield, a woman's in rearing children.)

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Kaua e mate moki, engari kia mate mango-ururoa.

(Die not as does the moki fish, but rather like the shark.)

The former makes no struggle, but the Ururoa Shark fights desperately.

He wahine, he whenua, e ngaro ai te tangata.

(By women and land are men lost.)

He kaka tihorea he tohu no te wahine mahue.

(Clothes torn off is a sign of an abandoned woman.)

He wahine tangi tikapa, me he ngaru moana, taro ake kua paki.

(A woman expressing her grief with gesticulation, like the waves of the sea, will soon calm down.)

Ha toa piki rakau, he kai na te pakiaka.

(Hasty tree climbers quickly catch a fall.)

He too rakau e taea te koro, tena he tao kupu kaore e taea te karo.

(A wooden spear can be parried; a word spear cannot be parried.)

A man can ward off an attack by a taiaha or mere, but he cannot parry the spoken word.

He kokonga whare e kitea, he kokonga ngakau e kore e kitea.

(The corners of a house are visible; the corners of the heart are invisible.)

He ta akaho e kitea; he ta ngakau e kore e kitea.

(Intricacies in reed-work are discernible; intricacies of the heart are indiscernible.)

Koanga, tangata tahi; ngahuru, puta noa.

(Digging time, a single attendant; at harvest time, one is surrounded.)

Kainga te tahua a hongo raua ko haumia.

(Eat of that which the good gods provide so liberally.) Tamariki wawahi taha.

(Children are only good for breaking calabashes.)

Expressed at the disregard of children to more important things.

A koutou whakanene waiho i te kainga nei, tikina te umu e tapuke mai ra hukea.

(Your family quarrels leave at home; go and uncover that oven which lies covered yonder.)

An order by Tapuae for a revenging expedition. See Te-O-Tane's history.

Te hono o te tangata pakupaku he kai.

(The added power of a small man is food.)

An expression by a small man who consumes a large amount of food.

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Whatu-ngarongaro he tangata, toitu he kainga.

(People pass away but places still remain.)

An expression of grief for the dead.

He karanga riri ka karangatia a paeko, karanga kai te karangatia.

(The services of Paeko are required in war, but when food is distributed, is not asked.)

An expression by a person for having assisted others and forgotten afterwards.

He pikitanga hoki ta te kaki?

(Talking through the neck is not hard work.)

Remark against a boastful person.

Taku he ki te ake rautangi, me i tikina ki te pipiha o te ika nui a tangaroa tau ana te wawaro ki runga o Maunga-kahia.

(My mistake in using a wooden club; should I have obtained the jawbone of the great fish of Tangaroa (whale) it would have resounded on top of Maunga-kahia.)

Expressed by Tutamure at his raid on the pa Maunga-kahia. See Kahungunu's history.

He toa taua he toa pahekeheke, he toa mahi kai he toa paumau.

(To be famous in war is soon forgotten, but fame in producing food will aways remain.)

Expression of a warrior who meets his superior, while an industrialist has no enemy.

He totara waihi rua he kai na te toki.

(A split totara is the prey of an axe.)

Disunity among members is a sure sign of weakness and defeat.

He ihu kuri, he tangata haere.

(A traveller has a dog's nose.)

The turning aside of men for a meal when travelling, without being invited has the nose of a dog.)

Te mate ki te tamaiti he pakaru niao, te mate ia ite wahine he pakaru takere waka.

(The death of a child is only a chip off the top plank, but the loss of a wife is the destruction of the whole canoe.)

Means, the loss of a child is not so disturbing, but the loss of a wife is the breaking up of a home.

Te wahine i te ringaringa, me te waewae kakama moea, te wahine i te ngutungutu whakarerea atu.

(A maiden nimble with her hands and feet, marry; a maiden nimble with her lips, leave alone.

Advice to those seeking a companion.

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He toa mau rakau he toka piringa; he toa mahi kai he rakau whakamarumaru.

(A strong man in warfare is a rock of defence; an industrialist is a sheltering tree.)

Take raumati, whakapiri ngahuru.

(Absent at planting time, close by at harvest.)

This is a word of reproach to lazy men.

He rarangi maomao kua huri ki tua o Nukutaurua, kaore a muri e hokia.

(A shoal of maomao fish that passes beyond Nukutaurua never return.)

Expressed by Tamatea-Pokai-whenua, for being asked to return. See his history.

Kei runga te kokero, kei raro te rahurahu.

(Lofty talk is like honey, but underneath lies the mischief.)

An expression not to be carried away by sweet talk.

Mate atu hei toa ara mai ra he toa.

(A warrior falls, another will arise.)

An expression of pride for a person in taking the place of a fallen warrior.

Mate atu he tetekura ara mai he tetekura.

(A chief dies another takes his place.)

A hopeful expression of replacing a dead chief.

E mua ata haere, e muri tata kino.

(Those in front go leisurely, those behind rush.)

Those that travel early, travel quietly; those who start late must hurry.

Haere; waiho au ma te hau o te whakarua e kawe atu.

(Go; let the soft sea breeze take me there.)

Expressed by Parua as a threatening farewell. See Tama-Te-Rangi's history.

Mahia nga mahi kei tamariki ana.

(Be energetic and carry on with the good work while young.)

An advice by the parents to their young married children.

Ka mate kainga tahi ka ora kaingarua.

(The man who had only one plan might be killed; the one who had two or more might live.)

Whakamarotia atu, ka whakahoki mai ano, ki te Kapua Whakapipi.

(Stretch out, but return to the sheltering cloud.)

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E hia motunga o te weka i te mahanga?

(How many times will the weka escape from the snare?)

Once bitten twice shy.

He kotuku rerenga tahi.

(The white crane of rare flight.)

The guest who comes but rarely is compared to it.

Ruia taitea, ruia taitea, kia tu ko taikaha anake.

(Cast away the sap but let the heart remain.)

This proverb is taken from the totara tree, the outside of the sap is called Taitea. It decays quickly—decays like the common soldier who has no standing. The inside of the totara is the taikaha, it does not decay; it is like a chief whose power does not fade.

Me te hau awaawa te tangata nei.

(The man is like a wind between two cliffs.)

Said of a man who is unsettled.

Tama tu, tama ora; tama noho, tama mata.

(The industrious thrive while the idle die in want.)