Whakamīere - Reo Māori Stories

A classic dispute between two men over a woman leads to bloodshed, and a curious request comes from the fallen man. Why does he make this request with his dying breath?

Translation by Taurapa

We've all heard of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, but did you know that Aesop wrote a kōrero about this same kaupapa 2000 years earlier?`

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While cooped up at his home during a paticularly bad storm, the man makes some difficult decisions to help feed his family. Evidently, the dogs become wary of him.

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The lynx is known for having incredible eyesight, but the mole has ears which are equally as sensitive. Who then is likeliest to evade danger?

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A greedy man tries to find the secret of his goose's golden eggs, but he makes a grave mistake.

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Jupiter decides to hold a seemingly innocent lottery, but may have an ulterior motive. He comes up with a plan to put people's minds at ease, though.

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Join us as we step onto the yellow brick road and begin our journey to the land of Oz with Te Kirimatarau Mīharo o Oz. In this episode, we start at the very beginning, with L. Frank Baum’s own introduction, followed by Chapter One of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in te reo Māori.

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It's always hard picking a favourite fruit when they're all delicious! Peach and Apple get into an argument about who is the better fruit.

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The kōkopu nui is carried out to sea and learns an important lesson from the new fishes he meets.

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Being greedy will often come back to bite oneself, and the dog finds this out the hard way.

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The cat catches himself a nice little meal, and the cock pleads his case. Will the cat listen though?

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Beavers are clever creatures, and this paki poto is another example of their presence of mind. Sometimes self preservation is more important than other things.

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While being chased by a lion, a bull seeks refuge in a cave, but is confronted by a bold goat who has other plans.

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A fox is being hunted and comes across a man who helps him, or at least the fox believes he will help.

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Pū, Punua and Rāpeti are not too sure about two new creatures who have appeared in the woods. They decide that kidnapping Pēpi Rū from Kānga is probably the best idea.

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The creatures of the night are caught gossiping and given a warning by the sun.

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A fawn asks its father about his fear of dogs, and puts forth a reasonable argument so as to help him set aside his fears.

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A poor unfortunate child is bitten by a snake while playing at home, and their father takes matters into his own hands.

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The viper slithers its way into a smith's shop looking for food, but makes a poor choice.

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The ant gets stuck and nearly drowns but finds a friend in the dove. How ever can the ant repay the dove for its help?

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A dolphin is chasing a flying-fish but gets into strife when he finds himself in shallow waters.

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A hungry little mouse finds himself a nice stash of corn on which he can feast, but he might have gone a little too far in satisfying his hunger.

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A short kōrero about a coachman and his wagon, and how some might perceive grumblers and complainers.

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A slave is confronted by a lion seeking his help for a wounded foot. Should he help the lion or run away?

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The Invisible Collection by Stefan Zweig - An art dealer from Berlin, visits an old customer who purchased many items from his store long ago. Something seems a little off though when he encounters the old man, and it doesn’t take long to realise too that   his wife and daughter have a secret of their own as well.

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A man is cast ashore, and understandably, is upset with the sea for being so rough. He may not be right, though, in placing his blame there.

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Our 100th episode has this troublesome threesome go out hunting. There seems to be some confusion as to how the spoils of the hunt ought to be divided. Who gets it right, and who gets it wrong?

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A weasel is captured by a farmer. Can he escape with his life?

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The Miser's life-long savings go missing, but after receiving advice from a neighbour, perhaps it isn't quite the end of the world.

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The Prince is unfortunately confined to a tower by the King, and gets fed up with his confinement.

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A farmer tries to manage the pests snacking on his crops, but the poor harmless Stork gets caught up in the wrong crowd.

The fox, ever so sly, baits the newly elected ape king.

A boy-cum-thief has his life changed when sentenced to hanging. He has some parting words to share with us though.

Translation by Taurapa

Celebrating 50 years of Te Wiki o te reo Māori! Pū and Punua both find out that their friend Īō is celebrating his birthday, and they need to figure out what to give him as a gift. Things quickly go awry though!

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The sneaky wolf tries to get himself an easy meal but the pig is wary of his offer.

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Our lion is so enamoured with the beauty of the forester's daughter that he becomes a little silly in his decision-making.

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Whakamīere is celebrating its first birthday! Today's episode has the owl confront the grasshopper for making too much noise while she tries to sleep. Perhaps we could all learn a lesson from the owl.

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After stumbling across a jewel in the farmyard, the tame heihei is not quite sure what to do with it.

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A brash young colt makes his argument to the Council of Horses about his discontentment with life as a horse. Will they support him, or will he need to rein in ideas?

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The master's dog was entrusted to look after the flock of sheep, but lets his master down.

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In evading some dogs, the fox jumps a bramble and hurts himself. Why did he think that would be a good shortcut?

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The lion, stuck at home with sickness, implores his iwi to pay him a visit, but the ass is weary of the situation.

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A haunting tale told from the perspective of Mingi, a lovesick tiger, as he explores these new feelings on the scariest day of his life.

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As a crowd favourite, the peacock is elected to become king of the birds. His worthiness and suitability, however, is quickly challenged by the magpie.

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The tortoise would love to fly like a bird, so he brokers a deal with the eagle.

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After having slain a bull, the lion is confronted with options as to what he may do with the spoils.

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The hares believe they live the worst life there is, and consider some pretty drastic actions. Once the meet the frogs though, their tune changes.

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A man is bitten by a dog and gets some medical advice from an old woman. Aesop is wary of the advice though.

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The fly, minding its own business is confronted by an angry bee. Can the fly convince her to change her ways?

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Two travellers head off for a wander through some woods. Taken by surprise, their opinions of each other quickly change.

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Nau mai, waihape mai ki te Ngahere Kotahi Rau Eka. We're back exploring with Pooh and friends in this pakiwaitara. Piglet hatches a plan to catch a Heffalump, and Pooh helps as best as he can.

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The ass doesn't treat the dog with the kindness that he perhaps ought to, and it serves as a lesson to everyone else.

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A mother-to-be requests the hutch of a fellow rabbit until she is well enough to move on, but things begin to take a turn.

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Sometimes, no matter how good a group of friends are, living together may not be the best option.

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The mouse shares his true desires with the lion. Can he handle it though?

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We all know how strong and brave the tiger is, but has he finally met his match?

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An unlikely duo, the wolf and crane get stuck in a bit of a problem. What should the crane do?

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When a dog invites his friend, another dog, to dinner, he's in for a big surprise.

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Who would win in a fight: a hundred foxes or one lion? It depends on who you ask. Both the lioness and the fox seem to have their own thoughts on the matter.

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Nau mai, waihape mai, Pū - welcome back, Pooh! This month's pakiwaitara brings back one of our favourite characters and all his hoa. In this kōrero, Īō loses a tail and Pū finds one.

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Two pots share a similar fate, but will they end up the same?

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The goat teaches the boy a lesson after he becomes a bit too caught up in the heat of the moment.

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A rare fable with Aesop as a main character, reminding others not to take life so seriously.

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The fly compares its life to that of the ant's. It's not quite as luxurious at it may seem at first, though.

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A man talks the talk, but can he walk the walk - or jump the jump?

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The mischievous cat is at it again with her plan to scare her neighbours.

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When a sick kea makes a suggestion to his mother about his recovery, she doesn't quite see things in the same light.

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The sly fox, yet again, lives up to its name in this paki poto, while the goat is left a little speechless.

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Our narrator seeks out the famous war hero Hone A.E.I Mete. But it becomes clear, after talking with others, that something is a bit off. Suspicions arise that Mete has some deep secret.

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On the run, a stag happens across a perfect hiding place to escape the wolves.

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The sleeping lion is awoken by a mouse and snatches him, while the mouse pleads for his life!

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A dying man leaves a vase filled with gold for each of his children, but it doesn't go all as planned.

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A leopard fancies himself to be quite beautiful but the sly fox has other thoughts on the subject.

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A frog witnesses a squabble between two bulls and is fearful for what the future holds.

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A father shares his words of wisdom with his two children.

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Too often we judge books by their covers, or people by their appearance. It's not usually until we dive below the surface that we can see and appreciate its true substance.

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Every year, the residents in this little town gather for The Lottery. It all seems innocent enough, but there's something much darker lurking beneath the surface.

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Our own passions and stubbornness can sometimes hinder the way we go about living. Occasionally it can even be to our own detriment.

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You've heard the kōrero "curiosity killed the cat" - well this isn't that, but it's pretty close!

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Our first poem featured on the podcast! Emily Dickinson is one of the most well respected poets of the 19th century. This poem puts into words the human feelings associated with hope.

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It's all very well to wax poetical for the hypothetical high road, but when reality hits, which path do the Fox and Cat choose?

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She wasn't a wolf, but she still huffed and puffed all she could. What happened when the Frog found out about the Ox who killed her son?

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Whakanuia te mana wahine! Our very first wahine author on the podcast is the brilliant short story by Kate Chopin. A crazy little tale about an accident.

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True, we can only see things through our own eyes, but it is just as important to beware the biases within us.

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Ever heard the kōrero "look busy, the boss is coming"? Well it might keep you out of trouble in the short term, but your luck may run out in the long term.

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What are your motives for achieving your goals? Are you like the Pūngāwerewere, or do you have other things in mind?

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Pū and Punua go exploring and think they might have come across a Woozle and a Wizzle! Auē, me aha rā rāua?

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It's hard to please those who choose not to be pleased. Kei pēnā koe i te Ruru nei.

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Thinking of attempting the impossible? Today's episode talks about folly and impossibilities.

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A cute kōrero showing that we should not be afraid to laugh at our expense sometimes.

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A Collier comes across an old friend of his, and tries his best to be hospitable. It may not be the best idea though.

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A quick kōrero about a naughty dog who mistakes his master's actions as something which he ought to be proud of. Tērā pōhēhē hoki!

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A sly fox gets stuck in a trap and tries his darnedest to convince others of the benefits sans tail brings.

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Be careful trying to pursue two different courses, for you may end up empty-handed at the end.

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A couple fantasise about winning the lottery after seeing part of the winning ticket number in the newspaper, but things quickly take a turn. Anton Chekhov's short story explores the true nature of people when money is concerned.

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Beauty isn't everything, in fact, it can often get you in to even more strife than you thought possible.

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A cautionary tale about listening to rumours and acting without all the information.

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Our tinana are made up of several parts that all work seamlessly together rangi atu, rangi mai. What happens when they suddenly decide not to though?

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You all know the moral of this kōrero, but do you know the paki poto behind it? A bird in the hand...

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Ever seen a crab and wondered why they move sideways?

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