An elderly Maori woman, especially a female relative or ancestor.
there were kuia with white feathers in their hair
Example sentencesExamples
The Maori party have kaumatua and kuia leading the party.
The kuia has gathered with others to talk about what they perceive as the latest threat.
I was again contacted by senior members of the trust, including our kuia.
I want to congratulate the kaumatua and the kuia who organised that successful event, and look very much forward to being back there next year.
With the beaming patriarch, the tolerant kuia, the benign figures from the afterlife (including a stereotypical errant male) and the quota of cute talking animals (though only the reader gets to hear them), the story is at times overrun with syrupy sweetness and light.
A kuia passed on her wisdom to her granddaughter.
On marae, kuia get the best seats, but this is not so in politics.
I asked one of the kuia (grandmothers) about the derivation of a certain word.
I begin my presentation by making reference to the office you hold in this House, and the acknowledgment we pay to you and your kuia.