He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes

by Hona Black

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 te Reo.

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 prove to be an invaluable resource for beginning and

Genres: Nonfiction

239 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2021

Reviews

[Bruce Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Hona Black's love for the Maori language is obvious. His ability to foment interest and inspire much less so. Maori, it seems, does not distinguish between similes and metaphors. The cover-all term is 'kupu whakarite' which also, according to the Te Aka dictionary, also means "figurative language, figure of speech, cryptic saying." Thus, every idiom is introduced as 'This 'kupu whakarite'... Totally unnecessary. Five hundred times. What Hona Black does not demonstrate is a love for English, so reading it became a chore.

[Thomas Hobbs-Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great bilingual - Māori and English - books on Māori philosophy