🤝 Tōku Mihimihi — My Greeting
An alternative to pepeha for tangata Tiriti (non-Māori)
Why Mihimihi?
Mihimihi is a form of introduction that acknowledges where you are, who the tangata whenua (local Māori) are, and shares where you come from. It's a respectful way to introduce yourself without claiming iwi or waka connections that aren't yours through whakapapa.
Mihimihi can be used by anyone — it's flexible, respectful, and appropriate in both formal and informal settings.
Start with a formal greeting to everyone present.
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Greetings to you all.
Acknowledge the land you're standing on. Use your local place name.
Ka mihi au ki te whenua, ki .
I acknowledge the land, [local place].
Show respect for the local Māori people of the area.
Ka mihi hoki au ki ngā tāngata whenua o tēnei rohe.
I also acknowledge the people of this area.
Where does your mother's family come from?
I te taha o tōku māmā, nō ōku tīpuna.
On my mother's side, my ancestors are from [country].
Where does your father's family come from?
I te taha o tōku pāpā, nō ōku tīpuna.
On my father's side, my ancestors are from [country].
Where do you currently live?
Kei ahau e noho ana.
I live in [place].
State your name proudly!
Ko tōku ingoa.
My name is [name].
End with a triple greeting to all.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Greetings, greetings, greetings to us all.
✨ Tōku Mihimihi — My Complete Greeting
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ka mihi au ki te whenua, ki ______.
Ka mihi hoki au ki ngā tāngata whenua o tēnei rohe.
I te taha o tōku māmā, nō ______ ōku tīpuna.
I te taha o tōku pāpā, nō ______ ōku tīpuna.
Kei ______ ahau e noho ana.
Ko ______ tōku ingoa.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will engage with this resource to craft and perform their personal pepeha — the traditional introduction that locates a person within their whakapapa, connecting maunga, awa, waka, iwi, hapū, and ingoa. Pepeha is one of the most important communicative acts in Te Ao Māori: it establishes identity, relationship, and belonging.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Students can recite or write their personal pepeha using the correct structural elements with accurate pronunciation.
- ✅ Students can explain the significance of each element of their pepeha — why maunga, awa, waka, iwi, hapū, and ingoa matter as identity markers.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide pepeha sentence frames with blanks for students to complete at the entry level. For students without known iwi or whakapapa connections — due to adoption, Pākehā or non-Māori heritage, or other circumstances — offer a mihimihi alternative that connects to their place, school, and whānau. Extend students who have completed their pepeha by asking them to research the history and significance of their maunga or awa.
ELL / ESOL: Pepeha is a context where home-language connection is a strength, not a barrier — encourage students to reflect on equivalent identity-introduction forms in their own cultural traditions. Pre-teach key kupu (maunga = mountain, awa = river, waka = canoe/ancestral vessel, iwi = tribe, hapū = subtribe, ingoa = name). Model pronunciation using te reo Māori audio resources.
Inclusion: Some students may have complex relationships to identity — adoption, disconnection from whakapapa, or non-Māori backgrounds. Create a safe, non-judgemental space where all identity expressions are honoured. Neurodiverse learners benefit from visual pepeha maps (name → maunga → awa → waka → iwi → hapū → ingoa as a connected diagram). Oral performance can be adapted — some students may prefer written or recorded formats.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Pepeha is not a language exercise — it is a relational and philosophical act. It expresses the understanding that people do not exist as isolated individuals: we are located in landscape, whakapapa, and community. Ko au ko te maunga, ko te maunga ko au — I am the mountain, the mountain is me. This reciprocal relationship between person and place is foundational to Te Ao Māori. Teaching pepeha is teaching identity, belonging, and mana.
Prior knowledge: No prior te reo Māori knowledge required. Students benefit from a brief class discussion about identity and what makes us who we are before beginning their pepeha.
Curriculum alignment
- Te Reo Māori — Communicating: Introduce themselves and others using personal information, including pepeha and mihimihi, drawing on knowledge of their own identity and connections to place.
- Identity, Culture, and Organisation: Understand how identity is shaped by connections to place, whakapapa, and cultural community — and how these connections are expressed through tikanga Māori.