Restaurant Offers Maori Language Lessons

Popular Christchurch, New Zealand seafood restaurant Fush has introduced free Maori language classes on Monday nights and the first event attracted over 600 people. “We expected probably a dozen or so people to turn up, but when we put it online the feedback and demand for the lessons was overwhelming,” says co-owner Anton Matthews.

The team at Fush had to find a bigger venue, so they booked out a local auditorium and couldn’t believe the turnout. “We had our first lesson and we were just so stoked, people are coming back for more which is just so awesome.” Fush is a whanau (family) owned business that opened in 2016 with the goal to sell the perfect fish and chips. Manaakitanga (the way in which you show hospitality towards your guests) is important to Anton and the team so everyone is welcomed like one of the family. The restaurant features a menu in both English and Maori and table talkers with basic Maori words to encourage diners to speak Maori to each other while they wait for food.

Useful Maori words and phrases

• Kia ora – Informal greeting meaning hello and good health
• Ka kite ano – See you again
• Kei te pehea koe? – How are you?
• Kei te pai! – I am good!
• Ko wai to ingoa? – What is your name?
• Ko …. ahau – My name is ….
• Kai – Food
• Taonga – Treasure
• Maunga – Mountain
• Awa – River
• Moana – Ocean
• Iwi - Tribe
• Tangata whenua – People of the land
• Aotearoa – New Zealand, meaning land of the long white cloud
• Aroha – Love