READING BETWEEN THE LINES: HOW PĒPEHA MĀORI REVEAL MĀORI VALUES

On the surface, a pepeha Māori may seem like a list of facts - names of mountains, rivers, ancestors, marae, waka - that is, significant places that shape identity. But beneath these words lies a deeper current: a subtext that reveals a powerful story of values, belonging, and inherited responsibility.

When a pepeha is recited - handed down through generations or adapted to reflect changing circumstances - each line speaks not only of where we come from, but of who we are, and what we stand for as Māori.

Pēpeha Māori is Poetry

Pēpeha Māori is not simply prose; it is poetry. It sharpens our attention, deepens our reflection, and brings forward the wisdom of our tūpuna. Like a spiritual practice, it reminds us that our identity is relational, embodied, and lived. It binds us to the whenua and to our people, across time and space.

Each line in a pepeha Māori carries values - sometimes spoken, often implicit - that shape our way of being in the world. Here, we explore some of these foundational values and the actions they call us to take.

1. Whakapapa and Kaitiakitanga - The Value of Place and Interconnection

When we say Ko Taranaki te maunga, we are not naming a landmark. We are naming a living ancestor. Mountains, rivers, and lakes are not inert objects - they are part of our whakapapa. They connect us to our tūpuna and to our obligations as kaitiaki of the natural world.

By naming these places, we affirm the relational worldview of te ao Māori: that land is not owned, it is known, remembered, and cared for.

Sub-text: I descend from the land. It is part of me, and I am part of it.

Value: I value whakapapa and guardianship.

Action: I must uphold my duty to protect and honour the land.

2. Whanaungatanga and Manaakitanga - The Value of Collective Identity

A pepeha locates us not as individuals but as part of a larger whole - our hapū, iwi, and whānau. These relationships are not optional; they are fundamental to our identity.

By naming our people and our marae, we affirm that our lives are interwoven. With this comes the obligation to manaaki - to care, support, and uplift others in our collective.

Sub-text: I am never alone. My strength is in my people.

Value: I value collective identity and care.

Action: I support and serve my whānau, hapū, and iwi.

3. Ako and Mātauranga - The Value of Learning and Growth

The stories within our pepeha reflect journeys of knowledge: the voyages of our waka, the establishment of our marae, and the wisdom passed down through generations. Learning is not confined to government schools; it happens in Māori places such as whare, haahi, on marae, through kōrero, and in mahi.

To walk in the footsteps of our tūpuna is to commit to ako - reciprocal learning - and to mātauranga - the pursuit and protection of knowledge.

Sub-text: I honour the wisdom of my ancestors and seek to grow.

Value: I value intergenerational learning.

Action: I learn, teach, and share to uphold the legacy I carry.

4. Rangatiratanga, Pono, and Tika - The Value of Self-Determination and Integrity

Declaring our ingoa, our maunga, and our awa is an act of rangatiratanga. We define ourselves through our connections, not through external labels. A pepeha is a statement of identity and autonomy.

It also embodies pono, or truthfulness to our heritage, and tika, or doing things the right way, according to tikanga.

Sub-text: I define who I am. I walk with integrity.

Value: I value the sovereignty of identity.

Action: I live in alignment with my tikanga and values.

5. Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Upholding our Sacred Agreements

While Te Tiriti may not appear explicitly in our pepeha, it lives in the backdrop of every Māori declaration of identity. Our ongoing expression of rangatiratanga affirms the promises made in 1840. Te Tiriti guaranteed our authority, our language, and our lands - all of which are embedded in our pepeha Māori.

Every pepeha Māori affirms that we are tangata whenua, with rights to land, governance, and cultural expression.

Sub-text: I stand in the legacy of Te Tiriti. My identity affirms my place and authority.

Value: I value tino rangatiratanga and the protection of our rights.

Action: I uphold Te Tiriti and call others to honour it.

A Living Expression of Values

So yes, a pepeha Māori names rivers and mountains, waka and marae, ancestors and iwi. But it also reveals what we value as Māori - our interdependence with the land, our love for our people, our respect for learning, and our unwavering commitment to tino rangatiratanga.

Every pepeha carries two stories: the one that is spoken, and the one that is lived.

When we learn to read between the lines, we see the tikanga that binds us. And when we truly understand these values, we find the strength to act with purpose, to stand firm in our identity, and to contribute to the collective well-being of our people.

Knowing who you are is the first step in knowing how you must live.

Whakataukī for Reflection

Mā te mōhio ka mārama, mā te mārama ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka ora.Through knowledge comes understanding, through understanding comes wisdom, through wisdom comes well-being.

He Kupu Whakakapi – A Final Word

Pepeha Māori is more than a cultural formality - it is a declaration of identity rooted in whakapapa, whenua, and whānau. It is a living taonga, passed from the lips of our tūpuna to our own, guiding us in how we see ourselves and how we walk in the world. In every line, our values breathe. In every utterance, our responsibilities stir. As Māori, we do not simply inherit a pepeha - we inherit a way of being. May we honour it, live it, and pass it forward with integrity and aroha, so that our mokopuna will know not only who they are, but how to stand tall in a world that needs them.