Mauri (i), mouri, n. 1. Life principle, thymos of man. Called sometimes mauri ora. Apparently at times used for person. To maunga tiketike, huinga mauri ora (M. 247). Used in the exclamation to avert evil after a sneeze. “Tihe mauri ora” (M. 356).
2. Source of the emotions; not to be confused with the material seat of the same in manawa or ngakau. From this comes oho mauri, start suddenly. Ka oho mauri ahau; or, Ka oho taku mauri.—Oho rere te mauri, te hinganga o te hoa (M. 109). Also mauri rere, panic-stricken; mauri tau, absence of panic. ‖ J. vii, 121.
3. Talisman, a material symbol of the hidden principle protecting vitality, mana, fruitfulness, etc., of people, lands, forests, etc. Koi to mauri ka tupu, tupu koe i to mauri, ka rau huihui koe i to mauri, ka rau matomato koe i to mauri (M. 379). Ko tenei mea ko te mauri, hai pupuri i te hau o te kainga.—Ko te mauri he mea huna ki te ngaherehere.—Ka ora katoa nga kai o te kainga i tenei mauri. In some instances mauri apparently indicated the principle itself, while the symbol was spoken of as aria. Kia tau te mauri o te kai ki raro (P.). [On the above senses of mauri, ‖ Best in J. x, 2–7, and elsewhere.]
4. A young plant of mapou, or of some other shrub, pulled up by the roots and used in connection with certain karakia. Ka hopu tona ringa ki te mauri … ka haua haeretia e ia te mauri i tona ringa, me te karakia haere atu.
5. Poles of mapou, erected for the pure ceremony in connection with the kumara crop; called also toko, or toko-mauri, q.v.
6. The name of a class of karakia. He mauri no muri o te purenga (M. 420). Ka whakahua te tohunga i taua mauri (M. 420). Tohinga mauritanga o papa ma ki mua ki te ahu (M. 248).
Williams Dictionary
Mauri (ii), n. 1. A variety of totara timber, dark in colour, and light in weight, valued for making canoes. Kia tangi atu au he mauri ka taka i runga o nga puke ra (S. ii, 77).
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2. Astelia sp., a plant; called also mauri-kura. Ka patua te teka a Maui, titi tonu atu ki te pu mauri i haere ai tana kuia.——I te taha o te whare e tu ana ko te pu mauri-kura; ko te huarahi tera ki raro.
Williams Dictionary
