traditional knowledge conference 2008 te tatau pounamu

lost tūrangawaewae through the colonial government’s agenda of colonization (T. Smith, 2000). At thesame time Māori knowledge was already being redefined through the canon of European literature.The importance of tohu as an indigenous form of communication, with an emphasis upon thenonverbal, has often been considered relatively unimportant by the classification of Māori as an “oral”society. The discussion in this paper indicates, however, that by redefining the nature of tohu, usefulinsights and understandings for the underpinnings of contemporary Māori social transformations maybe provided.Glossaryaituāahurewakarakiakaupapa Māorikōrerokupu tohutohumaharatangamarae āteamatakitemātaumoanangākaumarae āteamateoraPākehāpūkengaPapatūānukurangatirarangirongorongo ā ihurongo ā kitearongo ā taringarorotangata whenuatārai wakatautauiratipunatohutūāhutohungatūrangawaewaewairuawhakaarowhakairowhakapapawhakarongowharewhare tīpunawhare wānangadeath, ill health, misfortunesacred placeinvocationsMāori theorydiscussion, speechwords of importmemory recallopen area in front a meeting houseinterpretation of visual imagesknowledge, understandingsea, oceanheart, interior, sourceopen area in front of a meeting housedeath, illness, calamityhealthNew Zealanders of European descentknowledgeEarthmotherleadership, chieftainshipsky, heavenshear, senseknowing by smellknowing by seeinghearingbrain; open porch area of a meeting housepeople of the land, indigenous peoplecanoe buildingyearstudent, apprenticeancestorsign, marksacred place for ritual practicesexpert in interpreting signshomelandspiritthought, understandingsculpted or scribed markings, signs, symbols and images,generally in woodgeneaologylisten, sensehouse, domainancestral houseplaces of learning269