Tāhuhu Kōrero is a collection of pepeha and whakataukī – Māori proverbs and sayings – from the Taitokerau region, which stretches from Auckland to Cape Reinga.

Pepeha and the longer whakataukī are passed down the generations to capture key moments in history, important places and celebrated ancestors. They are also powerful metaphors for human behaviour.

Tāhuhu Kōrero presents nearly 200 proverbs from the North in Māori, with translations into English, and explains the origin and meaning of each saying. By elucidating people, places and events as well as the broader meanings of particular pepeha, Tāhuhu Kōrero reveals the wisdom of the ancestors. It features historical paintings and spectacular new photographs of the people and places of the North. 

From this combination of proverbs, history and images emerges a rich and accessible introduction to the people and the land of the Taikokerau.

Author

More about Merata Kawharu and photographer Krzysztof Pfeiffer

Awards and Nominations

Winner – 2009 Ngā Kupu Ora Book Awards, Te Reo Māori category – Tāhuhu Kōrero: The Sayings of Taitokerau, Merata Kawharu, with photographs by Krzysztof Pfeiffer

Reviews

It’s quite a remarkable book – a collection of proverbs and sayings from the region which stretches from Auckland to Cape Reinga which Maori have passed down and which capture key moments in history, important places and celebrated ancestors. – Graeme Barrow, Northern Advocate