A pepeha is a traditional oral recitation given by a person when introducing themselves in the MÃÂori culture of New Zealand. It is often part of a formal greeting or mihi.
A pepeha is given in the form of a list, telling a story of a person's connection with the land and with the people on it, a reflection of the MÃÂori people's name for themselves: tangata whenua (literally "people of the land"). Pepeha are often given on formal occasions, such as at a hui. It is possible for one person to have more than one pepeha, especially if they are linked to more than one iwi.
Most pepeha follow a ritual format, starting with a greeting, then listing personal connections to the land â a personal mountain and river â before listing iwi affiliation, family, place of residence, and name.
A typical pepeha may take the following form. This pepeha is for a person called Tëpene, from the KÃÂi Tahu iwi and living in Dunedin (à Âtepoti):
While the use of a standard pepeha by PÃÂkehÃÂ and other non-MÃÂori is acceptable, some authorities suggest an amended form of the pepeha in those instances where one is needed. One such formulation begins with the greeting, followed by "[name of country] is my ancestry, but [place] is where I grew up", followed by the usual formulation.