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''Koha'' is a New Zealand
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
custom which can be translated as gift, present, offering, donation or contribution.


Traditional usage

Koha is an example of the reciprocity which is a common feature of much Māori tradition, and often involves the giving of gifts by visitors (''manuhiri'') to a host
marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...
. Traditionally this has often taken the form of food although
taonga ''Taonga'' or ''taoka'' (in South Island Māori) is a Māori-language word that refers to a treasured possession in Māori culture. It lacks a direct translation into English, making its use in the Treaty of Waitangi significant. The current ...
(treasured possessions) are also sometimes offered as koha, and in modern times money.''"Marae Procedure (Kawa)"''
, The University of Waikato The koha reflects the
mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...
of both the giver and the recipient, reflecting what the giver is able to give, and the esteem they hold of the person or group they are making the gift to – and hence plays an important part in cementing good relations, and is taken very seriously, with misunderstanding having the potential to give offence. This traditional practice of koha remains active today in New Zealand in Māori contexts. At hui, any money given helps with the actual costs associated with the meeting, and for the benefit of non-Māori unfamiliar with the custom some marae may suggest a particular amount to be given as koha, but it remains a freely given gift rather than a charge for services or facilities.


Wider usage

In wider current New Zealand, society the term has a broader meaning more closely associated with the English term
donation A donation is a gift for Charity (practice), charity, humanitarian aid, or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including money, alms, Service (economics), services, or goods such as clothing, toys, food, or vehicles. A donati ...
. Participants at an event may be asked for "koha", often in the form of a request for "a gold coin donation" (i.e., $1 or $2). In
New Zealand English New Zealand English (NZE) is the variant of the English language spoken and written by most English-speaking New Zealanders. Its language code in ISO and Internet standards is en-NZ. It is the first language of the majority of the populati ...
, it is becoming more frequent to refer to the small gifts, or more commonly food such as biscuits, desserts or cakes, which are presented when visiting friends or family as koha. Such gifts are common custom among New Zealanders, especially in rural areas. This custom, if not rooted in Māori custom ( tikanga), has been reinforced by it. The Koha Open Source library system originated in
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
, and takes its name from this custom.


Koha Shed

Koha Shed (noun), place of gifts, kindness, sharing and acceptance. Place of origin – Whanganui. Since 2012 a network of "Koha Sheds" have grown up to help alleviate the negative effects of poverty in local communities. The first was formed in
Whanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is ...
, New Zealand, by Sherron Sunnex and Megan Manuka. Koha Sheds make no charge for anything that is taken. Free kai (food) is always available for those in need.


Koha television programme

From 1980 to 1989 there was a weekly television programme on
Television New Zealand Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, TVNZ+, streaming service, and 1N ...
called ''Koha'' which showed many aspects of Māori culture and history to a wide audience of
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
and non-Māori (
pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
).


See also

*
Potlatch A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States,Harkin, Michael E., 2001, Potlatch in Anthropology, International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Scienc ...
, a similar practice among some
First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...
peoples of west coast
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
* Kula, a similar practice in Papua New Guinea * Moka, a similar practice in the Mt. Hagen area of Papua New Guinea * Sepik Coast exchange, a similar practice in the Sepic Coast of Papua New Guinea *
Gift economy A gift economy or gift culture is a system of exchange where valuables are not sold, but rather given without an explicit agreement for immediate or future rewards. Social norms and customs govern giving a gift in a gift culture; although there ...
, a general term for societies built on practices of reciprocal giving


References

{{Wikivoyage, Maori phrasebook Māori words and phrases Society of New Zealand Marae protocols