🤝 Pepeha vs Mihimihi
When to use each — and building your mihimihi
📚 Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
WALT:
- Understand the difference between pepeha and mihimihi
- Know when each is appropriate to use
- Build a mihimihi as an alternative (especially for non-Māori)
- Practice both in different contexts
🔍 The Key Distinction
🏔️ Pepeha
Focus: Geographic and ancestral connections
- Mountains, rivers, waka, iwi, hapū
- Connects to PLACE and WHAKAPAPA
- Used in formal Māori settings (pōwhiri, hui)
- Establishes your identity in te ao Māori
Best for: Those with known Māori whakapapa connections
🤝 Mihimihi
Focus: Broader acknowledgements and introductions
- Who you are, where you're from, what you do
- Can acknowledge the whenua you're on
- More flexible and adaptable
- Used in both formal and informal settings
Best for: Everyone, especially tangata Tiriti (non-Māori)
🎯 When to Use Each
| Context | Pepeha | Mihimihi |
|---|---|---|
| On a marae (pōwhiri) | ✅ Preferred | ✅ Also okay |
| In class or at school | ✅ | ✅ |
| Job interview / professional | ✅ If comfortable | ✅ Common |
| Meeting someone casually | ❌ Too formal | ✅ Perfect |
| Non-Māori introducing themselves in te reo | ⚠️ Be thoughtful | ✅ More appropriate |
✨ Building a Mihimihi
Mihimihi is more flexible than pepeha. Here's a structure you can adapt:
Mihimihi Structure:
- Greeting: Tēnā koutou katoa. (Greetings to you all)
- Acknowledge the land: Ka mihi au ki te whenua, ki [local place]. (I acknowledge the land, [local place])
- Acknowledge tangata whenua: Ka mihi hoki au ki ngā tāngata whenua o tēnei rohe. (I acknowledge the people of this area)
- Your origins: I te taha o tōku māmā/pāpā, nō [country] ōku tīpuna.
- Where you live: Kei [place] ahau e noho ana. (I live in [place])
- Your name: Ko [name] tōku ingoa.
- Closing: Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. (Greetings to us all)
Example Mihimihi:
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ka mihi au ki te whenua, ki Kirikiriroa.
Ka mihi hoki au ki ngā tāngata whenua o tēnei rohe.
I te taha o tōku māmā, nō Aerana ōku tīpuna.
I te taha o tōku pāpā, nō Ingarangi ōku tīpuna.
Kei Kirikiriroa ahau e noho ana.
Ko Sarah tōku ingoa.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
🎭 Activity: Role-Play Both (15 mins)
Scenario 1: You're on a marae for a pōwhiri.
→ Which would you use? Practice with a partner.
Scenario 2: You're introducing yourself on the first day at a new job.
→ Which feels more appropriate? Practice with a partner.
Scenario 3: Your class is hosting visitors from a local iwi.
→ What would you say? Draft your response.
⚠️ A Word About Cultural Respect
Pepeha is deeply connected to Māori identity and whakapapa. For non-Māori (tangata Tiriti), consider:
- It's okay to say: "I don't have iwi connections, so I'll share my mihimihi instead."
- Don't claim: Iwi, hapū, or waka that aren't yours through whakapapa.
- You CAN acknowledge: The maunga and awa near you, even if they're not ancestrally yours.
- When in doubt: Mihimihi is always respectful and appropriate.
Remember: The goal is authentic connection, not performance. Be genuine about who you are.
📝 Homework: Finalise Your Introduction
- Decide: Will you present a pepeha or mihimihi next lesson?
- Complete your Pepeha Builder Template OR Mihimihi Template
- Practice saying it aloud at home (to whānau, mirror, or recording)
- Be ready to present in Lesson 6!
👩🏫 Teacher Notes
- This lesson is crucial for cultural safety. Give students permission to choose mihimihi if that feels more authentic to them.
- Some Māori students may not know their whakapapa — this is a result of colonisation and assimilation. Be sensitive to this.
- Non-Māori students showing respect by using mihimihi (rather than appropriating pepeha) is positive.
- Both pepeha and mihimihi are valid expressions of identity in te ao Māori today.