Maori Proverb

This attribution refers not to a single writer but to a traditional Māori proverb (whakataukī) from Māori oral tradition. Whakataukī are concise sayings that carry ancestral knowledge and are used to express values, guidance, and observations about life. They are passed down through generations and may be recited in speech, teaching, and ceremony. Because they emerge from collective memory and long use, individual authorship is typically unknown or not emphasized. Many whakataukī are associated with particular iwi (tribes) or hapū (sub-tribes), and their meaning can depend on context, place, and history. In quotation collections, they are often credited simply to “Māori proverb” or “Māori whakataukī.”