Pepeha and Mihimihi
Ko te mihimihi he kōrero whakamōhio, ka haere i te tīmatanga o tētahi hui, ina mutu te pōwhiri. Haere ai te mihimihi ki te reo Māori, ahakoa wahine, ahakoa tāne.
Ko tā te mihimihi he tūhonohono i te hunga kua tae ake ki te hui. Ko tā tēnā me tēnā, he tū ake ki te whakamōhio ko wai rātou, nō hea rātou, i heke mai rātou i a wai, me ētahi atu kōrero e rite ana. He mea nui tonu te whakapapa ki te Māori, mā te mōhio hoki ki tō whakapapa e mōhio ai koe ko wai koe.
Mā te kaupapa o te hui, te mōhio o te hunga kua tae ake tētahi ki tētahi, me te hononga tētahi ki tētahi, e tohu te roa o ngā mihimihi.
I konei kua whakahuahua haere te tangata i ētahi kōrero whenua o tōna takiwā pērā i tōna maunga, i tōna awa, i tōna moana. Tērā anō pea ka whakahuatia tōna waka, tōna hapū me tōna iwi, tae atu ki tōna tipuna. He nui ake ēnei i tōna ake ingoa, ā, tērā tonu pea hei te mutunga rawa whakahua ai i tēnei.
Tērā anō e whakahuatia ai te pepeha i te mihimihi, he kōrero rongonui ēnei e whakamārama ana i ngā hononga whakapapa ki tētahi hapū, ki tētahi iwi.
E whai ake nei tētahi tauira o te mihimihi:
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko (name of your waka) tōku waka / My canoe is (name of your waka)
Ko (name of your mountain) tōku maunga / My mountain is (name of your mountain)
Ko (name of your river) tōku awa / My river is (name of your river)
Ko (name of your tribe) tōku iwi / My tribe is (name of your tribe)
Ko (name of your sub tribe) tōku hapū / My sub tribe is (name of your sub tribe)
Ko (name of your chief) tōku rangatira / (Name of your chief) is the chief
Ko (name of your marae) tōku marae / My marae is (name of your marae)
Ko (your name) tōku ingoa or Ko (your name) ahau / My name is (your name)
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko ___________________ tōku waka / My canoe is (name of your waka)
Ko ___________________ tōku maunga / My mountain is (name of your mountain)
Ko ___________________ tōku awa / My river is (name of your river)
Ko ___________________ tōku iwi / My tribe is (name of your tribe)
Ko ___________________ tōku hapū / My sub tribe is (name of your sub tribe)
Ko ___________________ tōku rangatira / (Name of your chief) is the chief
Ko ___________________ tōku marae / My marae is (name of your marae)
Ko ___________________ tōku ingoa or Ko ___________________ ahau / I am (your name)
Source: Adapted from Te Taura Whiri resources online
NOTE: The order is up to you. Some start at the biggest and descend to the smallest (i.e you), because this is a bit like a tale of how you came to be. Some people who are especially fluent paint a magnificent poetic journey.
This is just ONE version. Just as in English, in te reo there are many ways to introduce yourself.