waiata

/ wɑːiːɑːtɑː /

noun

1. a Māori song

Word History and Origins

Origin of waiata¹

Māori

Example Sentences

Mohi had approached Lorde about working on the original “Waiata/Anthems” because “you want the biggest audience” exposed to Maori, she said.

From New York Times

The public’s response to the album astounded her: “Waiata/Anthems” debuted at No. 1 on the New Zealand charts in 2019.

From New York Times

Bic Runga, a Maori singer involved in both “Waiata/Anthems” releases, said, “There’s a really big shift in awareness here.”

From New York Times

“Waiata will never die. I think waiata will go on forever and ever.”

From New York Times

Though Runga had only absorbed little bits of Maori in elementary school, as a result of doing “Waiata/Anthems,” she’s been connected to more fluent speakers and is trying to incorporate Maori into her emails, like opening with “tena koe” instead of “hi.”

From New York Times