Glossary

'ā'ano, coconut shells that hold water

ahi, sandalwood

ahimā'a, traditional underground oven

'aito, warrior, hero; also, ironwood tree

ari'i, chief or chiefly class

'ārue, praise

atua, god

auē, lament

'auē, interjection

'aumoa, toy boat

'autī, ti plant

'Eimeo, ancient name of Mo'orea

'ētene, savage, heathen

fare, dwelling

fare putuputura'a, structure used as gathering place

fē'ī, plantains

fenua, the homeland; land in general

fēti'i, family, relatives

fiu, fed up

Havaiki, legendary Polynesian homeland; Marquesan proto-form of Hawai'i

'Ia ora na, a greeting

māmā, affectionate and respectful term for an older female, generally a relative

mana, power

manunu, fatigue following a great effort

mā'ohi, indigenous to Polynesia

Mā'ohi, ethnonym for Polynesians

mara'ai, southeast wind

marae, sacred ceremonial site

Matari'i, Pleiades constellation

mā'uru'uru, thank you

mei'a, a kind of banana

moana, ocean

mono'i, perfumed oil

moto'ī or moto'oi, ylang-ylang

motu, small sand island

Mou'a Tapu, Huahine's sacred mountain

mūto'i, policeman; police

nī'au, palm leaves; coconut palm

'Oro, an ascendant war god at the time of European contact

pahī, ship

Paratane, Britain

pāreu, traditional cloth wrap

Pa'umotu, alternate name for Tuamotu

pē'ue, woven pandanus mat

pito, umbilical cord

pōiri, unintelligent, ignorant

popa'ā, white foreigners

reo mā'ohi, Polynesian language

revareva, a strip of decorative white cloth from very young coconut leaves

rōfa'i, sudden gust of wind

Ta'aroa, supreme god

tahu'a, priest, expert

taio, friend

tapa, cloth made from bark

tāpō, hide-and-seek

tāporo, citrus fruit

tapu, sacred; also, prohibition

tārava, traditional chant

tātau, tattoo

tāvana, chief, governor, judge

teuteu, servant to the ari'i

tīfaifai, colorful quilt

tiki, Marquesan for a statue or image of a god

to'erau, north wind

tō'ere, drum; slit gong

tōrīrī, fine rain

tumu 'uru, breadfruit tree

tūpāpa'u, spirit, ghost

tupuna, ancestor, grandparent, elder

ufi, yam

'ūmara, sweet potato

'ūmete, large platter

'uru, breadfruit

vahine, woman

vai, water, river; also, the verb "to be"

vārua, spirit, soul

vivo, nose flute