Manaakitanga & Aroha

In February, we focused on the concept of 'manaakitanga', and this month, our attention shifts to 'aroha'. Below, you'll find an insightful definition and explanation of both concepts, provided by Matua Wharewera.

Manaakitanga, which literally means caring for a person’s mana, is defined in the Māori dictionary as meaning hospitality, kindness, generosity, support – the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others.

When we host other people and tribes on a marae, we are providing manaakitanga to them. Manaakitanga is so important because it is not what is said that matters on a marae, but rather, how well people are looked after.

People remember many things when they visit other people but they will always remember how well someone looked after them. This is why it is important to provide well for visitors and visiting tribes to ones home or marae. By enhancing others, we are enhancing ourselves.

When we look after and manaaki someone, we are looking after and enhancing their mana. By doing this, we are also enhancing our own mana. This is because we are earning the respect and admiration of the person or group that we are looking after. It really is reciprocal.

What does it look like...

Offering visiting whānau members a drink of water or cup of tea and biscuitsOffering visiting whānau a room to relax in.
Ensuring our rangatahi are settled and happy in their rooms.
Just about anything nice that you do for our rangatahi and whānau would be regarded as manaaki.

He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai
If kindness is sown then kindness you shall receive

Aroha means a lot more than just love. It encompasses many meanings associated with helping others. For example, it means giving of oneself, helping others and expecting no payment or obligations in return, making sacrifices for others, sharing, helping, and caring for others.

Aroha is described in the Māori Dictionary as meaning to love, feel pity, feel concern for, feel compassion, loving, affectionate, caring, kindly sympathetic, benevolent, affection, sympathy, charity, love, empathy.

Aroha may mean all of the above, but one of the main principles behind aroha is that it means giving of oneself with no expectation of returns.
This is why we Māori say, we do it for ‘aroha,’ in other words, we do a task for someone else and expect nothing in return.

So there are lots of benefits in doing things for aroha.

For example, we get rewarded by the reputation that we gain.
When we enhance our reputation, we are enhancing our mana.
It also feels good to see someone else benefit from our help.

Some examples of doing things for aroha include the following:

Using one’s own money to purchase clothing or items for Rangatahi.
Using one’s own money to purchase biscuits to offer to a whanau after a case meeting.
Helping a colleague by working their shift so that they can be released to attend a tangi.

Aroha mai, aroha atu
Love received demands love returned