Our Name
In te reo Māori, the first language of Aotearoa-New Zealand, ‘māha’ translates as, ‘to be gratified, satisfied, contented – by the attainment of a desired object’.
A close relationship with renowned Māori sculptor and artist Carin Wilson provided an opportunity to seek his advice as to whether the concept of māha could be used in a restaurant context.
Carin’s research led him to ‘A Dictionary of the Maori Language’, compiled by William Williams and first published in 1844. That publication included the kīwaha ‘noho māha, haere māha’, drawn from a collection of expressions Governor Grey had gathered. It speaks of coming to, and dwelling in, a place where the experience is pleasurable.
Carin felt that, whilst ‘māha’ was an appropriate proposition for a dining experience, it would be enhanced by the prefix ‘ki’.
‘Ki’ translates as ‘to, into, towards’ but more importantly it indicates movement or motion towards something.
Thus, Ki Māha becomes more than just a name, or even a place. It is an invitation. An invitation from us to come to our place and embark on a culinary journey of the very best in New Zealand cuisine – an experience we sincerely believe will end in your ultimate contentment and satisfaction.
