Story: Māori humor – te whakakata

Broad humour on marae

Like other peoples, Māori find humour in embarrassing situations, and often it is humour of a frank and impolite kind. In this clip from a 1994 episode of the Māori-language television programme Waka huia, Ngāti Porou kaumatua Cassidy Tangaere describes a tauparapara, or ritual chant of warning, used to open a speech on a marae. In this case, he explains, the warning refers to an unfortunate mishap that can occur to anyone who indulges in the hospitality offered in the dining room. 

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Māori humor – te whakakata - Māori humour in the 20th century', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/40393/broad-humour-on-marae (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 5 Sep 2013