In Maori grammar, proper nouns, also referred to as “ingoa whakarākei”, play a significant role. In the context of this Polynesian language, proper nouns are used for names of people (personal names), places, tribes (iwi), landmarks, canoe (waka), tribal meeting houses (marae), and even for gods and spiritual entities. These special names are important and are respected in conversations and narratives. It’s worthwhile to note that, unlike English, Maori does not use capital letters to denote proper nouns.
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with appropriate proper nouns related to people and tribes:
1. Ko *Hemi* te ingoa o taku hoa. (name)
2. Ko *Ngāpuhi* te iwi. (tribe)
3. Kei te noho ahau ki *Tāmaki Makaurau*. (place)
4. Ko *Aoraki* te maunga. (mountain)
5. Ko *Tainui* te waka. (canoe)
6. Kei *Whangārei* ahau e mahi ana. (place)
7. Ko *Te Arawa* te iwi. (tribe)
8. Ko *Ruataniwha* te marae. (marae)
9. I whānau mai ahau ki *Wellington*. (place)
10. Ko *Ngāti Porou* te iwi. (tribe)
11. Kei *Dunedin* ahau e ako ana. (place)
12. Ko *Te Kooti* te rangatira. (chief)
13. Ko *Kupe* te tīpuna. (ancestor)
14. E noho ana ahau ki *Gisborne*. (place)
15. Ko *Piri Weepu* te kaitākaro. (player)
2. Ko *Ngāpuhi* te iwi. (tribe)
3. Kei te noho ahau ki *Tāmaki Makaurau*. (place)
4. Ko *Aoraki* te maunga. (mountain)
5. Ko *Tainui* te waka. (canoe)
6. Kei *Whangārei* ahau e mahi ana. (place)
7. Ko *Te Arawa* te iwi. (tribe)
8. Ko *Ruataniwha* te marae. (marae)
9. I whānau mai ahau ki *Wellington*. (place)
10. Ko *Ngāti Porou* te iwi. (tribe)
11. Kei *Dunedin* ahau e ako ana. (place)
12. Ko *Te Kooti* te rangatira. (chief)
13. Ko *Kupe* te tīpuna. (ancestor)
14. E noho ana ahau ki *Gisborne*. (place)
15. Ko *Piri Weepu* te kaitākaro. (player)
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with appropriate proper nouns related to places and deities:
1. Kei *Rotorua* te whare wananga. (place)
2. Ko *Tāne Mahuta* te atua. (god)
3. Ko *Ngāi Tahu* te iwi. (tribe)
4. Ko *Te Moana a Toi* te moana. (sea)
5. Kei *Hamilton* te teihana putahi rori. (place)
6. Ko *Ranginui* te rangi. (sky)
7. Kei *Christchurch* te whare pukapuka nui. (place)
8. Ko *Ngātoro-i-rangi* te tohunga. (priest)
9. Ko *Whakaari* te motu. (island)
10. Kei *Te Puke* te kura. (place)
11. E hīkoi ana mātou ki *Tauranga*. (place)
12. Ko *Rangitoto* te maunga. (mountain)
13. Kei *Invercargill* ahau e whakatā ana. (place)
14. Ko *Hinemoa* te wahine. (woman)
15. Kei *Palmerston North* te whare whakataetae. (place)
2. Ko *Tāne Mahuta* te atua. (god)
3. Ko *Ngāi Tahu* te iwi. (tribe)
4. Ko *Te Moana a Toi* te moana. (sea)
5. Kei *Hamilton* te teihana putahi rori. (place)
6. Ko *Ranginui* te rangi. (sky)
7. Kei *Christchurch* te whare pukapuka nui. (place)
8. Ko *Ngātoro-i-rangi* te tohunga. (priest)
9. Ko *Whakaari* te motu. (island)
10. Kei *Te Puke* te kura. (place)
11. E hīkoi ana mātou ki *Tauranga*. (place)
12. Ko *Rangitoto* te maunga. (mountain)
13. Kei *Invercargill* ahau e whakatā ana. (place)
14. Ko *Hinemoa* te wahine. (woman)
15. Kei *Palmerston North* te whare whakataetae. (place)
