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Loan words

Historical loan words

waiata tangi

1. (noun) lament - song of mourning with no set actions sung especially at tangihanga. There are waiata tangi for peaceful deaths, deaths resulting from an accident, murder or having been killed in battle. The most numerous class of the traditional songs.

Me kī, he waiata tangi tēnei mō ngā kaikōrero whai mana o te ao Māori (HM 1/1998:1). / Let's say that this is a lament for the celebrated orators of the Māori world.

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Synonyms: matatangitangi, takuate, tūkeka, keka, rutu, mōteatea, tangi, uhunga, apakura, pihe, rurutu, taurere, mihi

waiata aroha

1. (noun) song of love - have tunes similar to waiata tangi and are sung without set actions.

Kātahi ka kī atu ki ana tamariki, kia mahia he kōauau (tētehi ingoa he whio). Ka oti, ka hanga ngā puta e toru, kātahi ka whakatangihia e te wahine rā tana waiata aroha mō tana tāne me tōna iwi (JPS 1897:104). / Then she told her children to make a flute, which they did, making three holes in it, and then the woman played her song of love for her husband and her people.

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