Moriori language

Extinct Māori-related language of the Chatham Islands

Not to be confused with Morori language.

Moriori

Ta Rē Moriori
Native to| New Zealand
Region| Polynesia
Extinct| 1898, with the death of Hirawanu Tapu
Revival| L2: c. 50 (2014)[1]

Language family

Austronesian

* Malayo-Polynesian
* Oceanic
* Polynesian
* Eastern Polynesian
* Tahitic
* Māori
* Moriori

Writing system

| Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3| `rrm`
Glottolog| `mori1267`
IETF| `rrm`

Moriori, or ta rē Moriori[2] ('the Moriori language'), is a Polynesian language most closely related to New Zealand Māori. It is spoken by the Moriori, the indigenous people of New Zealand's Chatham Islands (Rēkohu in Moriori), an archipelago located east of the South Island. Moriori went extinct as a first language at the turn of the 20th century, but revitalisation attempts are ongoing.

Moriori is a Polynesian language that diverged from Māori dialects after centuries of isolation, while still remaining mutually intelligible. The language has a guttural diction and consistent suppression of terminal vowels, meaning that unlike in Māori words may end in consonants.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

The Chatham Islands' first European contact was on 29 November 1791 with the visit of HMS Chatham, captained by William Broughton. The crew landed in Waitangi harbour and claimed the island for Britain.

The genocide of the Moriori people by mainland Māori iwi (tribes) Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama occurred during the autumn of 1835.[5] Approximately 300 were killed, around one-sixth of the original population.[6] Of those who survived, some were kept as slaves, and some were subsequently eaten. The Moriori were not permitted to marry other Moriori or have children, which endangered their survival and their language. The impact on the Moriori population, culture, and language was so severe that by 1862, only 101 Moriori remained alive.[7] By the 1870s few spoke the language.[8]

The three principal documents on which knowledge of the Moriori language is now based are a manuscript petition written in 1862 by a group of surviving Moriori elders to Governor George Grey; a vocabulary of Moriori words collected by Samuel Deighton,[9] Resident Magistrate from 1873 to 1891, published in 1887; and a collection of Moriori texts made by Alexander Shand and published in 1911.[10][11]

The death of the Moriori language went unrecorded,[10] but Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Baucke (1848–1931) was the last man who could speak it.[12]

Samuel Deighton's vocabulary of Moriori words was republished as an appendix of Michael King's Moriori: A People Rediscovered (1989).

The language was reconstructed for Barry Barclay's 2000 film documentary The Feathers of Peace,[13] in a recreation of Moriori contact with Pākehā and Māori.

### Revival

[edit]

In 2001, as part of a cultural revival movement, Moriori people began attempts to revive the language and compiled a database of Moriori words.[14] There is a POLLEX (Polynesian Lexicon Project Online) database of Moriori words as well.[15] A language app is available for Android devices.[16]

The 2006 New Zealand census showed 945 people choosing to include "Moriori" amongst their tribal affiliations, compared to 35 people in the 1901 census.[17] In the 2013 New Zealand census the number of people who identified as having Moriori ancestry declined to 738, however members of the imi (Moriori equivalent for iwi)[18] estimate the population to be as many as 3,500.[19]

In 2021 an app called Ta Rē Moriori was launched to teach the Moriori language to as many new people as possible.[16]

In 2023, there was a petition for the establishment of a Moriori Language Week.[20][21]

In 2024, author Kate Preece published a trilingual children's book: Ten Nosey Weka, featuring words in English, Māori and Moriori.[22]

## Alphabet

[edit]

Like Māori, written Moriori uses the Latin script, with macrons to denote lengthened vowels:

* a - [a]
* e - [ɛ]
* i - [i]
* o - [ɔ]
* u - [u]
* ā - [aː]
* ē - [ɛː]
* ī - [iː]
* ō - [ɔː]
* ū - [uː]
* p - [p]
* t - [t]
* k - [k]
* m - [m]
* n - [n]
* ng - [ŋ]
* wh - [ɸ]
* h - [h]
* w - [w]
* r - [r]
* tch - [tʃ]
* ch - [ʃ]
* v
* g

Note: Shand includes a 'v' in the Moriori language,[11] however, none of the Moriori words captured by Deighton and Baucke feature a 'v'.[9][23]

## Comparison with Māori

[edit]

Words in Moriori often have different vowels from their Māori counterparts.

The preposition a in Moriori corresponds to e in Māori, the preposition ka to ki, eriki to ariki (lord, chief), reimata to roimata (tear), wihine to wahine (woman), and so forth.

Sometimes a vowel is dropped before a consonant such as na (ena), ha (aha) and after a consonant like rangat (rangata), nawen (nawene), hok (hoki), or (oro), and mot (motu), thus leaving a closed syllable. In this regard, it is similar to the Southern dialects of Māori, in which apocope is occasionally found. A vowel is also sometimes dropped after a vowel in the case the preceding vowel is lengthened and sometimes before a vowel, where the remaining vowel is lengthened.[4][3]

The consonants [k], [h], and [t] can sometimes be aspirated and palatalised, such as Motchuhar instead of Motuhara.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Waking a sleeping language – our plan to revive the speaking of ta rē Moriori". 23 November 2023.
2. ^ "A mission to wake up the Moriori language". www.auckland.ac.nz. University of Auckland. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
3. ^ a b Richards, Rhys (2018). "Comparisons of Moriori, Maori, and Easter Island Cognates". Rapa Nui Journal. 31 (1): 38–40\. doi:10.1353/rnj.0.0001. Project MUSE 716986.
4. ^ a b Taiuru, Karaitiana (2016). "Word list and analysis of te reo Moriori" (PDF). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
5. ^ Mills, Keri (3 August 2018). "The Moriori myth and why it's still with us". The Spinoff. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
6. ^ "Moriori Claims Settlement Bill 238-1 (2020), Government Bill 8 Summary of historical account – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
7. ^ Davis, Denise; Solomon, Māui (28 October 2008). "Moriori: The impact of new arrivals". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. NZ Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
8. ^ King, Michael (1989). Moriori: A People Rediscovered. Auckland: Viking. p. 136.
9. ^ a b Deighton, Samuel (1889). "A Moriori Vocabulary". Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1889 Session I: G–5.
10. ^ a b Clark, Ross (2011). "Moriori: language death (New Zealand)". In Wurm, Stephen A.; Mühlhäusler, Peter; Tryon, Darrell T. (eds.). Atlas of Languages of Intercultural Communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas. Vol. I. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 173–175\. ISBN 978-3-11-081972-4. "The death of the Moriori language was not documented in any detail..."
11. ^ a b Shand, Alexander (1911). The Moriori People of the Chatham Islands: Their Traditions and History. Memoirs of the Polynesian Society. Vol. 2\. Wellington: Polynesian Society of New Zealand. ISBN 978-0-908328-52-9. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
12. ^ King, Michael (2017). Moriori: A People Rediscovered. Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited. p. 120\. ISBN 978-0-14-377128-9. "Baucke was eventually the last man alive to know the Moriori language."
13. ^ "The Feathers of Peace". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
14. ^ Davis, Denise; Solomon, Māui (28 October 2008). "Moriori: The second dawn". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. NZ Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
15. ^ Greenhill, SJ; Clark, R (2011). "POLLEX-Online: The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online". Oceanic Linguistics. 50 (2): 551–559\. doi:10.1353/ol.2011.0014. hdl:11858/00-001M-0000-002B-060E-D.
16. ^ a b Hokotehi Moriori Trust (1 March 2021). "Ta Rē Moriori Language App Launched" (Press release).
17. ^ Davis, Denise; Solomon, Māui (28 October 2008). "Moriori: Facts and figures". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. NZ Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
18. ^ Devere, Heather; Te Maihāroa, Kelli; Solomon, Maui; Wharehoka, Maata (2020). "Friendship and decolonising cross-cultural peace research in Aotearoa New Zealand". AMITY: The Journal of Friendship Studies. 6 (1): 53–87\. doi:10.5518/AMITY/31. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
19. ^ Wall, Tony; McKeen, Chris. "Divided Tribe". interactives.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
20. ^ McDonald, Kelvin (7 September 2023). "Petition seeks support for official Moriori language week". Te Ao News. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
21. ^ "Moriori call for official week to celebrate indigenous language". RNZ. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
22. ^ "'Ten Nosey Weka', a book helping to revive ta rē Moriori". RNZ. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
23. ^ Skinner, H. D.; Baucke, W. (1928). The Morioris. Memoirs of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Vol. 9, No. 5. hdl:2027/uc1.31210012105134.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Clark, R. (1994). "Moriori and Maori: The Linguistic Evidence". In Sutton, D. (ed.). The origins of the First New Zealanders. Auckland: Auckland University Press. pp. 123–135.
* Galbraith, Sarah. A Grammar of the Moriori language (Thesis).
* Richards, Rhys (2018). Moriori: Origins, Lifestyles and Language. Paremata Press.
* Taiuru, Karaitiana N. (2016). Word list and analysis of te reo Moriori. Karaitiana N Taiuru. ISBN 978-0-9582597-0-5.

* v
* t
* e

Languages of the Realm of New Zealand

Major language|

* English
* New Zealand English

Indigenous languages|

| New Zealand|

* New Zealand Māori
* Moriori

|

Cook Islands|

* Cook Islands Māori
* Penrhyn
* Pukapukan
* Rakahanga-Manihiki

Niue|

* Niuean

Tokelau|

* Tokelauan

Sign languages|

* New Zealand Sign Language

* v
* t
* e

Central Pacific languages

| West|

* Rotuman
* Namosi-Naitasiri-Serua
* Western Fijian

|

East|

* Fijian
* Gone Dau
* Lauan
* Lomaiviti

Polynesian|

| Nuclear
Polynesian|

* Tuvaluan
* Sikaiana
* Ontong Java
* Nukumanu
* Takuu
* Nuguria
* Kapingamarangi
* Nukuoro
* Pukapukan

Samoic|

* Samoan
* Tokelauan
* Niuatoputapu †

Eastern|

* Hawaiian
* Marquesan
* Mangarevan
* Tahitian
* Austral
* Rapa
* Tuamotuan
* Cook Islands Māori
* Rakahanga-Manihiki
* Tongareva
* Māori
* Moriori †
* Rapa Nui

Futunic|

* Wallisian (East Uvean)
* West Uvean
* Futunan (East Futunan)
* Futuna-Aniwa (West Futunan)
* Pukapukan
* Anuta
* Rennellese
* Tikopia
* Mele-Fila
* Emae

Tongic|

* Tongan
* Niuean
* Niuafo'ou ?

* * indicates proposed status
* ? indicates classification dispute
* † indicates extinct status

* v
* t
* e

Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages

| SHWNG|

* Tandia
* Mor
* Waropen
* Warembori ?
* Yoke ?

Halmahera Sea|

| Ambel–Biga|

* Ambel
* Biga

|

Maya–Matbat|

* Ma'ya
* Matbat

Maden|

* Maden
* Fiawat

As|

* As

South Halmahera|

* Gane
* Taba
* Buli
* Maba
* Patani
* Sawai
* Gebe

Cenderawasih|

| Biakic|

* Biak
* Dusner
* Meoswar
* Roon

|

Yapen|

* Ambai
* Ansus
* Marau
* Wandamen
* Wooi
* Munggui
* Papuma
* Pom
* Serui-Laut
* Kurudu
* Wabo

Southwest|

* Yaur
* Yerisiam
* Umar

Oceanic|

| Admiralty|

* Yapese ?

Eastern|

* Manus
* Baluan-Pam
* Lenkau
* Lou
* Nauna
* Penchal

Western|

* Northern Kaniet
* Southern Kaniet
* Seimat
* Wuvulu
* Aua

Saint Matthias|

* Mussau-Emira
* Tenis

Temotu|

| Utupua|

* Amba
* Asumboa
* Tanimbili

|

Vanikoro|

* Teanu
* Lovono
* Tanema

Reefs–Santa Cruz|

* Äiwoo
* Engdewu / Nanggu
* Natügu / Santa Cruz
* Nalögo
* Noipx

Southeast
Solomonic|

| Gela–Guadalcanal|

* Bugotu
* Gela
* Lengo
* Birao
* Ghari
* Malango
* Talise

|

Malaita–
San Cristobal|

* Longgu
* Sa'a
* Arosi
* Fagani
* Bauro
* Kahua
* Owa
* Marau Wawa ? †
* To'abaita
* Baelelea
* Baeggu
* Fataleka
* Lau
* Kwara'ae
* Wala
* Gula'alaa
* Kwaio
* Dori'o
* ꞋAreꞌare
* Oroha

Western
Oceanic|

| Meso–Melanesian|

| Kimbe|

* Bola
* Bulu
* Meramera
* Nakanai
* Bali
* Vitu

|

New Ireland–
Northwest
Solomonic|

| Tungag–Nalik|

* Kara
* Laxudumau
* Nalik
* Tiang
* Tigak
* Tungag

|

Tabar|

* Lihir
* Madara
* Notsi

Madak|

* Barok
* Lavatbura–Lamusong
* Madak

St. George|

* Bilur
* Fanamaket
* Kandas
* Konomala
* Label
* Lungalunga
* Niwer Mil
* Patpatar
* Ramoaaina
* Siar
* Sursurunga
* Tolai
* Warwar Feni

Northwest
Solomonic|

* Hahon
* Hakö
* Halia
* Nehan
* Papapana
* Petats
* Saposa
* Solos
* Teop
* Tinputz
* Bannoni
* Piva
* Mono-Alu
* Torau
* Uruava
* Babatana
* Ririo
* Varisi
* Vaghua
* Ghanongga
* Hoava
* Kusaghe
* Lungga
* Marovo
* Nduke
* Roviana
* Simbo
* Ughele
* Vangunu
* Blablanga
* Cheke Holo
* Gao
* Kokota
* Laghu
* Zabana
* Zazao

* Tomoip

North New Guinea|

| Sarmi–
Jayapura ?|

* Anus
* Bonggo
* Kayupulau
* Liki
* Masimasi
* Ormu
* Podena
* Kaptiau
* Sobei
* Tarpia
* Tobati
* Wakde
* Yamna

|

Schouten|

* Arop-Sissano
* Sera
* Sissano
* Ulau-Suain
* Tumleo
* Yakamul
* Kaiep
* Kairiru
* Terebu
* Biem
* Kis
* Manam
* Medebur
* Sepa
* Wogeo

Huon Gulf|

* Bukawa
* Kela
* Yabem
* Aribwatsa †
* Aribwaung
* Adzera
* Dangal
* Duwet
* Labu
* Maralango
* Mari
* Musom
* Nafi
* Silisili
* Wampar
* Wampur
* Hote
* Iwal
* Kapin
* Kumalu
* Mangga Buang
* Mapos Buang
* Mumeng
* Piu
* Vehes
* Yamap
* Numbami

Ngero–Vitiaz|

* Bariai
* Gitua
* Kove
* Lusi
* Malalamai
* Mutu
* Awad Bing
* Bilibil
* Gedaged
* Marik
* Matukar
* Mindiri
* Takia
* Wab
* Lamogai
* Mouk-Aria
* Aigon
* Karore
* Kaulong
* Miu
* Sengseng
* Aiklep
* Akolet
* Apalik
* Avau
* Bebeli
* Gimi
* Lesing-Gelimi
* Mangseng
* Solong
* Lote
* Mamusi
* Mengen
* Arop-Lukep
* Karnai
* Malasanga
* Mur Pano
* Mato
* Ronji
* Amara
* Maleu
* Mbula
* Sio
* Tami

Papuan Tip|

| Nuclear|

* 'Auhelawa
* Buhutu
* Bwanabwana
* Oya'oya
* Saliba
* Suau
* Unubahe
* Wagawaga
* Bwaidoka
* Diodio
* Iamalele
* Iduna
* Koluwawa
* Maiadomu
* Bunama
* Boselewa
* Dobu
* Duau
* Galeya
* Molima
* Mwatebu
* Sewa Bay
* Dawawa
* Kakabai
* Are
* Arifama-Miniafia
* Doga
* Gapapaiwa
* Ghayavi
* Kaninuwa
* Ubir
* Gweda
* Haigwai
* Maiwala
* Minaveha
* Taupota
* Tawala
* Yakaikeke
* Anuki
* Gumawana

|

Kilivila–Misima|

* Budibud
* Kilivila
* Misima
* Muyuw

Nimoa–Sudest|

* Nimoa
* Sudest

Southern
Oceanic|

| North Vanuatu|

| Torres–Banks|

* Hiw
* Lo-Toga
* Lehali
* Löyöp
* Mwotlap
* Volow
* Lemerig
* Vera’a
* Vurës
* Mwesen
* Mota
* Nume
* Dorig
* Koro
* Olrat
* Lakon
* Mwerlap

|

Maewo–Ambae–
North Pentecost|

* Sun̄wadia
* Sun̄wadaga
* Baetora
* Duidui
* Northeast Ambae
* Raga

South Pentecost|

* Ske
* Apma
* Sa

Espiritu Santo|

* Cape Cumberland
* Nokuku
* Tolomako
* Wusi
* Akei
* Tasiriki
* Tangoa
* Araki
* Tiale
* Merei
* Kiai
* M̈av̈ea
* Tutuba
* Aore
* Tamambo
* Mores
* Shark Bay
* Sakao

Nuclear
Southern
Oceanic|

| Central Vanuatu|

* Northeast Malakula
* Vao
* Vovo
* Mpotovoro
* Dirak
* Malua Bay
* V’ënen Taut
* Tape
* Larevat
* Neve’ei
* Naman
* Navava
* Nevwervwer
* Unua
* Pangkumu
* Banam Bay
* Aulua
* Lendamboi
* Nasarian
* Axamb
* Avok
* Maskelynes
* Port Sandwich
* Sinesip
* Naha’ai
* Ninde
* North Ambrym
* West Ambrym
* South Ambrym
* Lewo
* Lamen
* Bierebo
* Baki
* Mkir
* Bieria
* Nakanamanga
* Nguna
* Namakir
* South Efate

|

South Vanuatu|

| Erromango|

* Sie / Erromangan
* Sorung †
* Ifo (Utaha) †
* Ura

|

Tanna|

* Kwamera (South Tanna)
* Southwest Tanna
* Lenakel (West Tanna)
* Whitesands (East Tanna)
* North Tanna

* Aneityum

Loyalties–
New Caledonia|

| Loyalty Islands|

* Drehu
* Iaai
* Nengone

|

New Caledonian|

| Southern|

* Ndrumbea
* Numèè
* Xârâcùù
* Xârâgurè
* Tîrî
* Zire †
* Ajië
* Arhö
* Arhâ
* Neku
* Orowe

|

Northern|

* Vamale
* Haveke
* Haeke
* Cèmuhî
* Paicî
* Pwaamei
* Pwapwa
* Bwatoo
* Hmwaveke
* Waamwang
* Fwâi
* Jawe
* Nemi
* Pije
* Caac
* Kumak
* Yuanga
* Nyâlayu

Micronesian|

* Nauruan

Nuclear
Micronesian|

* Kosraean
* Gilbertese
* Marshallese

Chuukic–
Pohnpeic|

| Chuukic|

* Sonsorol
* Tobian
* Chuukese
* Woleaian
* Ulithian
* Puluwatese
* Namonuito
* Tanapag
* Carolinian
* Satawalese
* Mortlockese
* Pááfang
* Mapia †

|

Pohnpeic|

* Mokilese
* Pingelapese
* Pohnpeian
* Ngatikese

Central Pacific|

| West|

* Rotuman
* Namosi-Naitasiri-Serua
* Western Fijian

|

East|

* Fijian
* Gone Dau
* Lauan
* Lomaiviti

Polynesian|

| Nuclear
Polynesian|

* Tuvaluan
* Sikaiana
* Ontong Java
* Nukumanu
* Takuu
* Nuguria
* Kapingamarangi
* Nukuoro
* Pukapukan

Samoic|

* Samoan
* Tokelauan
* Niuatoputapu †

Eastern|

* Hawaiian
* Marqeusan
* Mangareva
* Tahitian
* Austral
* Rapa
* Tuamotuan
* Cook Islands Māori
* Rakahanga-Manihiki
* Tongareva
* Māori
* Moriori †
* Rapa Nui

Futunic|

* Wallisian (East Uvean)
* West Uvean
* Futunan (East Futunan)
* Futuna-Aniwa (West Futunan)
* Pukapukan
* Anuta
* Rennellese
* Tikopia
* Mele-Fila
* Emae

Tongic|

* Tongan
* Niuean
* Niuafo'ou ?

* * indicates proposed status
* ? indicates classification dispute
* † indicates extinct status

Authority control databases: National |

* Germany

|

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