Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Fakatalofa atu, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Mālō nī, Talofa lava, Tēnā koutou katoa.
Come and explore our vibrant cultures of Te Moana-nui-a Kiwa.
From pēpē to kaumatua, whanau history enthusiast to studious researcher, practitioners of traditional arts, language and waiata, we've got you covered.
Our well-resourced Reference Collections are here to support study and research in the library. Our comprehensive Lending Collections are available for you to enjoy at home.
Visit our City Center Library and discover our resources about the tangata whenua of Porirua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
Download the 👉 Ngāti Toa resources sheet (543 KB PDF).
We partner together to honour our commitment to mana whenua and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Maori oral tradition is the rich, poetic record of the past handed down by voice over generations through whakapapa, whakatauki, korero and waiata. In genealogies and sayings, histories, stories and songs, Maori tell of 'te ao tawhito' or the old world: the gods, the migration of the Polynesian ancestors from Hawaiki and life here in Aotearoa. A voice from the past, today this remarkable record underpins the speeches, songs and prayers performed on marae and the teaching of tribal genealogies and histories. Indeed, the oral tradition underpins Maori culture itself. This book introduces readers to the distinctive oral style and language of the traditional compositions, acknowledges the skills of the composers of old and explores the meaning of their striking imagery and figurative language. And it shows how 'nga korero tuku iho' the inherited words, can be a deep well of knowledge about the way of life, wisdom and thinking of the Maori ancestors. [Use your Porirua Library card, log in and you can borrow a digital book from ePukapuka for a period of seven days, 14 days or 21 days – you choose].
Looking for good free Te Reo online resources?
There is a lot of material out there, and it is easy to get overwhelmed. These resources actively teach and connect Te Reo with everyday life.
👉 Te Whanake is a set of print and digital resources for learning and teaching the Māori language. It also includes Te Aka Māori Dictionary. This website provides access to the full range of free online resources for independent learning and interaction.
👉 Kōrerorero: Created by Auckland University of Technology. Users work their way through Kōrerorero’s eight lessons, each based around a different activity one would find in a typical day. Each lesson contains up to 10 parts with a series of interactive exercises. It focuses on spoken reo rather than written language.
👉 Kupu: A Spark-sponsored app that uses the camera in your phone to instantly translate objects into te reo Māori.
👉 He aha tēnei? a drag-and-drop game where matching of letters & pictures teaches pronunciation of every day words. Aimed at children, but enjoyable for all.
👉 Taringa: Learn Te Reo and tikanga Māori in a relaxed way with weekly episodes discussing either kupu (words), iwi (tribes), stories or tikanga (customs and protocols). From Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
👉 Tōku Reo: A Māori language learning course for absolute beginners. Designed by Professor John Moorfield, and structured as a series of short videos which build on the previous lesson.
👉 Māori TV language learning: Te reo Māori learning programming broadcast by Māori Television, and available on demand, online.
👉 Up to speed with Te Reo Māori: a podcast series explaining Māori language phrases and words often heard in media, public addresses and everyday conversation in Aotearoa. Delivered by Stacey Morrison.
This collection of Pasifika linguistics bibles was gifted to the Australian National University in 2014 by the Australian Bible Society. It is a rare collection containing 337 publications and 11 supporting grammar folders.
The bibles range in size and feature many Pasifika languages. There is a growing movement in linguistics to investigate language structures through ‘parallel corpora’ – text collections which are semantically equivalent. Within this research movement, bible texts currently hold pride of place as no other texts of this length offer parallel translations across so many languages.
Visit the 👉 Pasifika language bibles and supporting grammars.
In Gagana Sāmoa, Lea Faka-Tonga, Te Reo Māori Kūki ’Airani / Cook Islands Māori, Gagana Tokelau, Fijian and Vagahau Niue.
Online resources to help new entrant and early year Pasifika children transition to English.
Supporting the early language and literacy learning of Pasifika students in English-medium classrooms.
Second language acquisition that builds on the child’s first language to strengthen English language and literacy.
The linguistic strengths these students bring to school will be used to build their English language and literacy.
Uses the child’s cultural capital for literacy and learning.
The Tokelau Department of Education links to resources, research, and examples of practice that teachers and families can use to support and engage with learners.
Fiji Language Readers. Children need books in their own language with characters, themes, and settings that reflect their lives.
Produced by the Asia Foundation - Let’s Read Initiative. Written, illustrated and translated by locals.
Select your preferred language from the top left search box.
Māori Lending- Five book limit
Pacifica Lending- Five book limit
If you have any queries about our Māori and Pacific collections, please email
👉 porirualibrary@poriruacity.govt.nz or phone (04) 237 1533.
