Pepeha is a deeply significant way for Māori to introduce themselves. It connects people to their whenua, awa, iwi, and tūpuna, forming a narrative that expresses belonging and whakapapa. However, when pepeha templates were introduced for wider use, a problem arose: Tāngata Tiriti, unfamiliar with the cultural depth of pepeha, began following the structure without guidance.
One of the most well-known examples of this was the "waka" section. Many non-Māori recognised that they did not have a traditional waka in their ancestry but still wanted to participate in pepeha. So, they looked for an equivalent—something that had brought their ancestors to Aotearoa. For many, that was a Boeing 747 aeroplane.
Suddenly, all over the country, Tāngata Tiriti were standing up in meetings, classrooms, and pōwhiri, declaring that their waka was a jet airliner. The audience would giggle and chuckle, sometimes even Māori would join in. It seemed lighthearted, a bit of fun. But over time, something didn’t sit right.
The Problem with the Aeroplane Pepeha
Laughter in this context is a sign that something is being diminished (whakaiti). The moment pepeha becomes a joke, it loses its mana. Waka are not simply a mode of transport in a pepeha—they represent the journeys of tūpuna, the survival of iwi through great migrations, and the connection between people and place. A Boeing 747 might physically carry people across oceans, but it does not hold the same ancestral weight as waka do in Māori narratives.
As Māori audiences reflected on this, many realised that what had started as a lighthearted adaptation was actually undermining the intent of pepeha. A one-size-fits-all template was not working. Tāngata Tiriti needed another way to participate in pepeha—one that upheld the mana of the practice while allowing them to introduce themselves meaningfully.
Enter the Pepeha Urutau
The pepeha urutau (adapted pepeha) was developed as a way for Tāngata Tiriti to engage with pepeha respectfully, without forcing themselves into a Māori framework that did not fit. Instead of trying to substitute elements like waka, a pepeha urutau allows non-Māori to acknowledge their own origins and their relationship to Aotearoa, often through the lens of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
There are two main types of pepeha urutau for Tāngata Tiriti:
1. For Those Born Overseas
A pepeha urutau for a Tāngata Tiriti born outside of Aotearoa should acknowledge their ancestral homeland while recognising their place in Aotearoa today. For example:
Example: Pepeha Urutau for a Tāngata Tiriti Born Overseas
Ko te moana nui a Kiwa te moana. (The Pacific Ocean is my ocean.)
Ko Ingarangi te whenua i whānau ai au. (England is the land where I was born.
Ko te awa o Thames tōku awa i tipu ai au. (The River Thames is the river where I grew up.)
Ko Ngāti Pākehā te iwi. (My people are Pākehā.)
Ko te Tiriti o Waitangi te hononga ki Aotearoa. (The Treaty of Waitangi is my connection to Aotearoa.)
Ko Tāmaki Makaurau tōku kāinga ināianei. (Auckland is my home now.)
Ko Ngāti Whātua te iwi o reira, e mihi ana ki a rātou. (Ngāti Whātua are the local tribe there, I acknowledge them.)
Ko [name] tōku ingoa. ([Name] is my name.)
This version ensures that the speaker acknowledges both their ancestral ties and their role in Aotearoa under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
2. For Those Born in Aotearoa
For Tāngata Tiriti born in Aotearoa, their connection to the land is real, but it is different from Māori whakapapa. Instead of naming iwi or marae, their pepeha urutau should reflect their whakapapa as Tāngata Tiriti.
Exsample: Pepeha Urutau for a Tāngata Tiriti Born in Aotearoa
Ko Ingarangi tōku whakapaparanga. (English is my heritage.)
Ko te moana nui a Kiwa te moana. (The Pacific Ocean is my ocean.)
Ko Aotearoa te whenua i whānau ai au. (Aotearoa is the land where I was born.)
Ko te awa o Waikato tōku awa i tipu ai au. (The Waikato River is the river where I grew up.)
Ko Ngāti Pākehā te iwi. (My people are Pākehā.)
Ko te Tiriti o Waitangi te hononga ki Aotearoa. (The Treaty of Waitangi is my connection to Aotearoa.)
Ko Kirikiriroa tōku kāinga ināianei. (Hamilton is my home now.)
Ko Tainui te iwi o reira, e mihi ana ki a rātou. (Tainui are the local tribe there, I acknowledge them.)
Ko [name] tōku ingoa. ([Name] is my name.)
This version situates Tāngata Tiriti within Aotearoa while maintaining the integrity of pepeha as a practice of connection.
A Pepeha with Mana
Pepeha should never be something that makes people laugh at the expense of its meaning. By moving away from forced comparisons—like aeroplanes as waka—and embracing thoughtful, adapted versions, we ensure that pepeha remains a practice of connection and respect.
The pepeha urutau is more than just an alternative—it is a way to restore mana to pepeha while allowing all people in Aotearoa to introduce themselves with dignity and understanding.
We at Digital Iwi hope that this post is helpful to you on your journey of understanding and engaging respectfully with te ao Māori. Nā reira, kia ora mai rā.
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