Useful Ways To Say “Hello” & “Goodbye” In Māori Language

Many moons ago, musicians from New Zealand called Ka Hao and Rob Ruha released a song together called “35.” The song highlights New Zealand’s State Highway 35 (SH 35), which is the main highway for the East Cape of the North Island (one of the two main islands of the country with a population of about 3 million people) and the Māori people that live along the area. Okay, enough of that short 411 about SH 35… so, the tune was and still is sooooo catchy that it blew up on this planet and it even was used as a mainstream dance song on TikTok. If you don’t know the song, stream it here.

A fun fact about “35” is that it was released as one of the 27 songs for the 2021 Waiata Anthems Week during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, a government-sponsored campaign to promote the use of Māori language in New Zealand. And if you thought that the feel-good hit is in Māori, then you’re right because the song is indeed written and sung in the Māori language. Just take a glance at the lyrics and you’ll be immersed in the beauty of the Māori language, culture, and sound. Before you learn the lyrics to this sweet song, make sure to get acquainted with the different ways of saying “hello” and “goodbye” in Māori.