Member-only story
2022: Creating a Lexicon of Future
T is for Takiwātanga
Feb 26, 2022
Is there a Māori word for ‘autism’?
Yes. It is part of a glossary Keri Opal has produced for Māori language use in the Mental Health, Addiction and Disability sectors.
The resource creation project is called ‘Te Reo Hāpai — The Language of Enrichment: A Māori language glossary for use in the mental health, addiction and disability sectors’
The word Keri Opal has coined in te reo Māori for autism is ‘Takiwātanga’. It is a derivation of his phrase for autism: “tōku/tōna anō takiwā” — “my/his/her own time and space”. ~ A time and space for Takiwātanga
