- 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