Editing Māori language (section)

===Origins===
[[File:First Lessons in the Maori Language, title page 1862.jpeg|thumb|"First Lessons in the Maori Language", 1862,<br />by [[Leonard Williams (bishop)|W. L. Williams]], third [[Anglican Diocese of Waiapu|Bishop of Waiapu]]]]
According to [[Māori  mythology|legend]], Māori came to New Zealand from [[Hawaiki]]. Current anthropological thinking places their origin in eastern [[Polynesia]], mostly likely from the [[Southern Cook Islands|Southern Cook]] or [[Society Islands]] region (see {{Slink|Māori history|Origins from Polynesia}}), and says that they arrived by deliberate [[Māori migration canoes|voyages in seagoing canoes]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first1=K. R. |last1=Howe |title=Ideas of Māori origins{{snd}} 1920s{{ndash}}2000: new understandings |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=4 March 2009 |page=5 |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/ideas-about-maori-origins/page-5}}</ref> possibly double-hulled, and probably sail-rigged. These settlers probably arrived by AD 1350 at the latest.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Walters | first1=Richard | last2=Buckley | first2=Hallie|last3=Jacomb|first3=Chris|last4=Matisoo-Smith |first4=Elizabeth| title=Mass Migration and the Polynesian Settlement of New Zealand|journal=Journal of World Prehistory|volume=30| issue=4 |pages=351–376|doi=10.1007/s10963-017-9110-y|date=7 October 2017|doi-access=free}}</ref> 

Māori evolved in isolation from other [[Polynesian languages]]. Six dialectal variations emerged among [[iwi]] due to geographical separation.<ref name="Te Reo English">{{cite journal |last1=Reese |first1=Elaine |last2=Keegan |first2=Peter |last3=Mcnaughton |first3=Stuart |last4=Kingi |first4=Te Kani |last5=Carr |first5=Polly Atatoa |last6=Schmidt |first6=Johanna |last7=Mohal |first7=Jatender |last8=Grant |first8=Cameron |last9=Morton |first9=Susan |title=Te Reo Māori: indigenous language acquisition in the context of New Zealand English |journal=Journal of Child Language |date=March 2018 |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=340–367 |doi=10.1017/S0305000917000241|doi-access=free |pmid=28679455 }}</ref> The language had no written form, but historian Sarah J. K. Gallagher has argued that [[tā moko]], the indigenous art of tattooing, is arguably "a pre-European textual culture in New Zealand... as the Moko can be read, it can be accepted as a form of communication".<ref>{{Cite web |title='A Curious Document': Ta Moko as Evidence of Pre-European Textual Culture in New Zealand {{!}} NZETC |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-GalCuri.html |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=nzetc.victoria.ac.nz}}</ref> The idea that tā moko is a written language of sorts has been discussed before.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-15 |title=Ta moko important expression of culture |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/ta-moko-important-expression-of-culture/QSCYSWUNXXBG7L3KQ4RKEIUTNY/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tā Moko Now, Tā Moko Forever |url=http://www.critic.co.nz/features/article/10384/t257-moko-now-t257-moko-forever |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Critic – Te Ārohi}}</ref>

Since its origin, the Māori language has been rich in metaphorical poetry and prose.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /> Forms of this include [[karakia]], [[Whakapapa|whaikōrero]], [[whakapapa]] and [[Karanga (Māori culture)|karanga]], and in [[performing arts]] such as [[Māori music#Mōteatea|mōteatea]], [[Māori music|waiata]] and [[haka]].<ref name=":10" /> Karakia are Māori [[incantation]]s used to invoke spiritual guidance and protection, and are used before eating or gathering, to increase spiritual goodwill and to declare things officially open.<ref name="Otago">"[https://www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/karakia-prayers/index.html Karakia]", Otago University website. Retrieved 23 July 2019.</ref> Whaikōrero is the term given to traditional oratory given on [[marae]], and whakapapa is the story of one's ancestry. According to historian [[Atholl Anderson]], whakapapa used "mnemonic devices, repetitive patterns [and] rhyme" to leave a lasting impression. "Casting knowledge in formulaic or other standarised story forms.. helped to fix the information in the minds of speakers and listeners".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Anderson |display-authors=et al. |first=Atholl |title=Tangata Whenua |date=Nov 2015 |publisher=Bridget Williams Books |isbn=9780908321537 |edition=1st |location=Auckland |publication-date=Nov 2015 |pages=47,48 |language=English}}</ref>