{"id":5329,"date":"2022-09-14T16:38:13","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T16:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=5329"},"modified":"2022-09-14T16:39:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-14T16:39:57","slug":"te-fiti-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/te-fiti-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"TE FITI \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you find yourself in New Zealand or perhaps another part of Polynesia, you may hear this peculiar phrase being said. Though odds are that you have heard it instead in the Disney movie Moana<\/em> as it is the name of one of the Goddesses of Life in the film. There is quite a lot of speculation when it comes to the phrase \u201cTe Fiti\u201d, and we will be going over its possible definitions, usage, and origins in this post. Let\u2019s get started! This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

\u201cTe Fiti\u201d does not have a direct English translation, as is the case with many languages when they convert from one to the other. The best definition that exists is a \u201cfar off place\u201d, according to some Maori translations. It is also speculated to be of African origin meaning \u201cgiver of life\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are not familiar with Polynesia, allow us to explain. Polynesia is a large collection of islands in the Pacific Ocean made up of many similar, yet distinct cultures. This includes Hawai\u2019i, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Tonga, and many more. So chances are you might be able to find several definitions for \u201cTe Fiti\u201d depending on where you are.<\/p>\n

As stated earlier, \u201cTe Fiti\u201d does not exactly have a true English translation. It\u2019s a phrase that only really makes sense within its own language and culture. Sort of similar to how New Zealand\u2019s Polynesian name is Aotearoa, or \u201cThe Land of the Long White Cloud\u201d.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cTe Fiti is the Mother of life\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaoi stole the heart of Te Fiti in Moana\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should all give thanks to Te Fiti for her generous gifts\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important that we respect and care for Te Fiti in all things\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout the great Te Fiti, none of us would be alive\u201d.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The true origin of \u201cTe Fiti\u201d is incredibly difficult to settle upon. Odds are that it is simply a name created for Moana<\/em> as the film is largely inspired by all of Polynesian culture so there isn\u2019t exactly a way to fully pinpoint where it could originate from.<\/p>\n

If you consider its other possible definitions, it would originate from Maori culture when talking about \u201ca far off place\u201d. The other definition would come from African culture when it means \u201cgiver of life\u201d.<\/p>\n

Phrases Similar to Te Fiti<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Maori: Indigenous people of New Zealand.\n
      \n
    • The Maori are big and tough. Perfect for rugby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Haka: Ceremonial Maori dance.\n
        \n
      • The Haka is performed in a large group before events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Ohana: Hawaiian word for \u201cfamily\u201d.\n
          \n
        • Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Phrases Opposite to Te Fiti<\/h2>\n
            \n
          • There aren\u2019t any decent opposite phrases for \u201cTe Fiti\u201d since it only makes sense within a very specific context and language that doesn\u2019t translate into English very well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            What is The Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n
              \n
            • Te Fiti: teh - fee - tee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Ways People May Incorrectly Say Te Fiti<\/h2>\n

              Polynesia is made up of many different cultures, languages, and customs. As a result, saying \u201cTe Fiti\u201d in almost any context, will make very little sense. The best way to use this term correctly is when referring to the Goddess in Moana<\/em>. Some examples of improper usage are:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Hey Te Fiti, I need you to get this work done ASAP.<\/li>\n
              • You are no better than Te Fiti, always creating trouble.<\/li>\n
              • The Te Fiti in the movie is the love interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Acceptable Ways to Phrase Te Fiti<\/h2>\n

                When talking about the Goddess in Moana<\/em>, using \u201cTe Fiti\u201d is appropriate as it is her official name and people will most likely understand what you are talking about. Other examples are:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • It is important to care for Te Fiti just as you would Gia.<\/li>\n
                • The people on the island love and respect Te Fiti above all else.<\/li>\n
                • Try to understand how important Te Fiti is to the islanders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  If you find yourself in New Zealand or perhaps another part of Polynesia, you may hear this peculiar phrase being said. Though odds are that you have heard it instead in the Disney movie Moana as it is the name of one of the Goddesses of Life in the film. There is quite a lot […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5329"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5329"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5650,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5329\/revisions\/5650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}