Kupu hou: New word- Manaakitanga

MANAAKITANGA:

Definitions of manakitanga in the context of displaying humility and people who live by certain codes that reflects the qualities of a person who holds a lot of mana or who are those rangatahi, like myself, who are pursuing these codes of discipline.

Quote: Manakitanga explained by Rangatira, Professor Whatarangi Winiata, who is also President of the Maori Party.

"behavior that acknowledges the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than ones own, through the expression of aroha, hospitality, generosity and mutual respect. Displaying manaakitanga elevated the status of all, building unity through the humility and the act of giving"

Manaakitanga

"Manaakitanga is the principle of elevation of the personal qualities of others with whom we have a relationship. The words mana and aki become immediately obvious. Mana can be described as the personal power and prestige that individuals have. The word aki means to uplift or encourage. Manaakitanga therefore can be seen as a desirable principle of pedagogy where by the positive actions of the tutor the mana or personal qualities of the student are elevated and by the achievement of academic outcomes the mana of the tutor is likewise elevated. This state of mutual mana enhancement is an expression of the tikanga of ‘utu’ or reciprocal action. This definition can be found on the web link: http://geoteachers.blogspot.com/2006/10/manaakitanga-two-further-explanations.html

My own personal definition of Manaakitanga

The behaviour that acknowledges the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than your own. It is the division of three syllables, that is; Mana – ki - tanga which can be broken up into the division of three words ‘mana’ ‘ki’ te ‘tangata’ which translates into the English equivalent, the act of giving ultimate respect to another. Manakitanga is the act giving mutual respect to another through the expression of hospitality and generosity to humble yourself in the presence of another. It is a code of conduct, a code that a warrior or a person with a particular character either learns to live by or lives and displays. That is a man of mana, a person of good character and humility.

My definition of manakitanga: A servant of his tupuna (Te Rarawa, Ngati Mutunga, Te Arawa

Ehara au i te rangatira, i te tohunga ranei, engari penei oku wakaaro o te kupu ‘manakitanga’ i tenei wa.