waiata

British  

/ wɑːiːɑːtɑː /

noun

1. a Māori song

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Etymology

Origin of waiata

Māori

Example Sentences

The public’s response to the album astounded her: “Waiata/Anthems” debuted at No. 1 on the New Zealand charts in 2019.

From New York Times

Mohi had approached Lorde about working on the original “Waiata/Anthems” because “you want the biggest audience” exposed to Maori, she said.

From New York Times

Bic Runga, a Maori singer involved in both “Waiata/Anthems” releases, said, “There’s a really big shift in awareness here.”

From New York Times

Though Runga had only absorbed little bits of Maori in elementary school, as a result of doing “Waiata/Anthems,” she’s been connected to more fluent speakers and is trying to incorporate Maori into her emails, like opening with “tena koe” instead of “hi.”

From New York Times

“Waiata will never die. I think waiata will go on forever and ever.”

From New York Times