ngā mihi o te rā o waitangi
The phrase "happy Waitangi Day" in Maori is translated as ngā mihi o te rā o waitangi.
This phrase is used to acknowledge and wish someone well on Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand. Rather than using a direct translation of the English adjective "happy", this Maori expression focuses on offering greetings for the occasion.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "the greetings of the day of Waitangi".
Did you know?
- The word mihi used in this greeting is etymologically rooted in a concept of grieving or regret, much like its Hawaiian cognate.
Examples in context
- Ngā mihi o te rā o Waitangi ki a koe.Happy Waitangi Day to you.
- Ngā mihi o te rā o Waitangi ki a koutou.Happy Waitangi Day to you all.
- He rā pai, ngā mihi o te rā o Waitangi.Have a good day, happy Waitangi Day.
Example conversation
Anahera and Rawiri meet at a community celebration.
- AnaheraKia ora Rawiri, ngā mihi o te rā o Waitangi!Hello Rawiri, happy Waitangi Day!
- RawiriKia ora Anahera, ngā mihi o te rā o Waitangi ki a koe hoki!Hello Anahera, happy Waitangi Day to you too!
- AnaheraKei te hūrie te rā?Is the day going well?
- RawiriĀe, he rā tino pai!Yes, it is a very good day!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mihi, rā, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
