Te Reo Māori is considered a taonga [treasure]. The annual Te Wiki o te Reo Māori / Māori Language Week is held in the second week of September to celebrate and encourage all New Zealanders to learn and use te Reo Māori. 

While that's a special celebration (50 years in 2022) of the resurgence of te Reo use, Māori language is entwined in much of everyday life and conversation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kia ora! is likely the first friendly Māori greeting your clients will hear. It's easy to say but there is a wealth of culture and meaning behind these two little words.

With the warm, welcoming tone of this everyday phrase, you can say hello, express gratitude, send love and make a connection. It’s deeply engrained in our unique Kiwi culture and the manaakitanga, the hospitality and respect that we offer our visitors.

In its simplest form, kia ora means hello. But together these words have a deeper beauty that signifies much more than just a passing greeting. In its literal sense, ‘ora’ refers to a state of ‘being alive’; add ‘kia’ and ‘ora’ becomes ‘living’ rather than ‘alive’. So, when you say kia ora to someone, you are wishing the essence of life upon them.

In Māori culture it is important to acknowledge a person.

“By using the words 'kia ora' we acknowledge not just them, but everything about them including where they come from and who they come from,” explains Māori kaumatua (leader) Arekatera Maihi of Ngati Whatua ki Orakei.

Although the words' origins are steeped in history and meaning, kia ora is used as an informal spontaneous greeting throughout contemporary New Zealand, and you will hear everyone from the Prime Minister to the supermarket cashier using it in day-to-day conversation.

Locals enjoy hearing visitors use kia ora too, as it’s a great way to connect with this land and people. And, for many visitors to Aotearoa New Zealand, these two little words will help to define and enrich their holiday experience.

Learn more about te reo Māori(opens in new window)