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šŸ”¢ Traditional Māori Counting

Te Tātai ā€” Numbers and Counting in Te Reo Māori

šŸ“ Pāngarau Māori ā€” Māori Mathematics

Long before Europeans arrived, Māori had sophisticated mathematical systems for counting, measuring, navigation, and construction. Learning these systems connects us to over 1,000 years of mathematical thinking in Aotearoa.

Ngā Tau 1-10 (Numbers 1-10)

1
Tahi
tah-hee
2
Rua
roo-ah
3
Toru
toh-roo
4
Whā
fah
5
Rima
ree-mah
6
Ono
oh-noh
7
Whitu
fee-too
8
Waru
wah-roo
9
Iwa
ee-wah
10
Tekau
teh-kow

Zero: Te Kore

The concept of zero (kore) existed in Māori thinking as "the void" or "nothingness" ā€” an important part of Māori cosmology describing the state before creation.

Building Bigger Numbers

How to Count Beyond 10

Māori counting is logical and consistent:

  • 11 = Tekau mā tahi (ten and one)
  • 12 = Tekau mā rua (ten and two)
  • 20 = Rua tekau (two tens)
  • 25 = Rua tekau mā rima (two tens and five)
  • 100 = Kotahi rau (one hundred)
  • 1,000 = Kotahi mano (one thousand)

āœļø Practice: Write these numbers in te reo Māori

15 = ________________

23 = ________________

47 = ________________

86 = ________________

Different Counting Systems

šŸ”Ÿ Base 10 (Modern/European)

Groups things in 10s:

  • 10 ones = 1 ten
  • 10 tens = 100
  • Used worldwide today

šŸŒæ Traditional Māori Systems

Evidence shows Māori also used:

  • Base 20 for some counting
  • Paired counting (counting in twos)
  • Context-specific numbers (different words for counting people vs. things)

šŸ’” Interesting Fact

Some traditional Māori counting went: tahi, rua, toru, whā... then at 20 used the word ngahuru (meaning "ten pairs" or twenty). This "base 20" system is similar to French (quatre-vingts = 4Ɨ20 = 80)!

How Māori Used Mathematics

šŸš£ Navigation (Whakatere Waka)

Māori navigators used complex calculations for ocean voyaging:

  • Star positions and angles
  • Distance estimation
  • Wave pattern analysis

šŸ  Construction (Whare Building)

Building meeting houses required careful measurement:

  • Proportions and ratios
  • Symmetry in design
  • Using body parts as measuring units (whanganga = armspan)

šŸŒ™ Time and Calendar (Maramataka)

The Māori lunar calendar tracked:

  • 30 named nights of the moon cycle
  • 12 lunar months
  • Seasonal patterns for planting and fishing

āœļø Activities

Activity 1: Count in Te Reo

Count these items in te reo Māori:

  • How many students in your class? ________________
  • How many windows in your classroom? ________________
  • Your age? ________________

Activity 2: Body Measurement

Traditional Māori used body parts to measure. Try measuring your desk using:

  • Mati (finger width): ________ mati
  • Ringa (handspan): ________ ringa
  • Whanganga (armspan): ________ whanganga

Reflection: What did you learn about Māori mathematics?

šŸ‘©ā€šŸ« Teacher Notes

Curriculum Links

  • Mathematics: Number knowledge, measurement
  • Te Reo Māori: Vocabulary, pronunciation
  • Social Studies: Cultural perspectives on knowledge