Understanding "oha atu, oha mai"

This is the explanation Hohepa (Joe) MacDougall the Kaiwhakamäori / Translator from Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Maori / Maori Language Commission. It explains the process he went through while developing, oha atu, oha mai, the whakatauaki he gifted to Philanthropy New Zealand.

"I also thought about “Koha atu, Koha mai�?.

In earlier writings it appears that they used the words Oha, Koha and Ōh�?ki interchangeably. N�? doubt that ‘Oha’ is the root/base word.

Pg 237, Dictionary of Maori Language, HW Williams, 7th Edition, gives the following meanings of “Oha�?:

(i)   1 Greet
(ii) 1 Generous, 2. Abundant, 3. Relic, keepsake, 5. Dying speech -whakatau oha = Ōh�?ki = Oha a ki.

Pg 123 of the same dictionary gives the following meanings of “Koha�?.

(i)    1. Parting or final instructions,
       2. Respect, regard,
       3. Present, Gift,
       6. Surplus
(ii)   2. Endeavour, effort.

Although “Koha�? seems to be a more appropriate word in terms of the given definitions, I believe the word “Oha�? conjures up an older concept that led on to “Ōh�?ki�? that led on to “Koha�?.

My understanding relates to those aspects of ‘OHA’ ie Greet, of Generosity, of abundance and of dying speech. To me the concept of the dying speech, (which was that generally given by rangatira of a wh�?nau, hapū, iwi) relates more to his concern and love for his people - their future welfare/wellbeing.   Indeed, the example given in HW Williams N�? 5. is good example of this. It translates as “�?Farewell! After I have gone, cherish the tribe�?.

Often ‘Whakatauaki’ or proverbs make reference to the concept of “Oha�? such as this one “Te oha o ng�? t�?ngata m�?tua�? “The bequest of the ancestors�? which is often heard in formal speeches.

The idea of “Atu�? and “Mai “gives it the element of ‘reciprocity’. Of mutual co-operation and exchange. Something that was an integral part of early M�?ori.

“Oha atu, oha mai�? I believe encapsulates what I understand to be “Philanthropy�?.

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