Our shopping cart is currently down. To place an order, please contact our distributor, UTP Distribution, directly at utpbooks@utpress.utoronto.ca

He Iti te Kupu
232 pages, 8 x 5 1/4
Paperback
Release Date:31 May 2022
ISBN:9780947506919
GO TO CART

He Iti te Kupu

Māori Metaphors and Similes

Oratia Books

He Iti te Kupu contains nearly 500 sayings that draw a comparison between something (often the natural world) and people, events or contexts. Written in Māori and English, this accessible guide explains the use, meaning and context of a host of the principal figures of speech in the Māori language.

Divided into themes, including birds of the land and sea, parts of the body, acknowledgements, animals and insects.

The title derives from the proverb, ‘The words are small, yet their meanings are substantial,’ highlighting the importance of these sayings in the landscape of Māori language learning and speaking.

This volume will be an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to use Māori figures of speech — whether in te reo or English — as well as students and speakers of the language.

Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) lectures on teaching for Māori medium schools at Te Pūtahi a Toi: School of Māori Knowledge at Massey University, Palmerston North. He has worked as the Senior Māori Adviser on Massey’s Wellington campus, and been Head of Te Reo Māori at Hato Pāora College in Feilding. Hona lives in Porirua, New Zealand, with his partner and their baby son.

Find what you’re looking for...
Stay Informed

Receive the latest UBC Press news, including events, catalogues, and announcements.


Read past newsletters

Free shipping on online orders over $40

Publishers Represented
UBC Press is the Canadian agent for several international publishers. Visit our Publishers Represented page to learn more.