Example

• A po’boy
  1. Let’s have a po’boy for launch!
  2. A po’boy? Is that a kind of sandwich?
  3. Yes, it’s a traditional submarine sandwich.

Key grammar

• It’s a way of greeting someone, commonly used in Japan.
• It’s what you need if you want to travel to another country.
• It’s kind of a dog, but it’s a little bigger and lives in the wild.
• It’s the way you feel when you do something wrong and feel bad about it.
• It’s where you can go to play card games and win money.

Dialogue

1. Frances: Yeah, I’m kind of nervous about my first day.
2. Do you have any idea what it will be like?
3. Martin: Well, because you’re an overseas student I’m not sure, but I think you’ll probably start off with a powhiri in the morning, and then youu can go for walk around campus after lunch.
4. Frances: Oh yeah, my agent told me about that, but what exactly is a powhiri?
5. Martin: It’s a kind of welcoming ceremony with speeches, dancing, singing, that kind of thing.
6. It can be a little intimidating at first, but just follow the instructions and I’m sure you’ll be fine.
7. Frances: And where will that be held?
8. Martin: Oh they always hold that at the marae.
9. Frances: The marae? Is that a kind of church?
10. Martin: More of a town hall, I guess.
11. It’s where people go to perform ceremonies, have meetings, or even do some crafts or community activities.
12. Frances: Well, I’m looking forward to checking that out.
13. Martin: But, I would just say be careful about how you behave there.
14. In New Zealand we have this idea of mana- it’s kind of like a source of authority.
15. And that’s really important on the marae.
16. Frances: So it’s like a law?
17. Martin: Hmm, not really, it’s more spiritual.
18. It’s a way of showing respect to a special person or place
19. Frances: So will I have to do anything special?
20. Martin: Oh, no, for the powhiri it’s just basic courtesy stuff really.
21. Turn your phone off, stay quiet while they’re giving the speeches, you know, don’t wander off, that kind of thing.
22. Frances: Well, my agent told me we’d have guides, so I guess I’ll just do what they say.
23. Martin: Yeah, don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have a great time!