kopapa

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori kōpapa (“land”).

Noun

kopapa (uncountable)

1. (New Zealand) Set of operating principles and ground rules.
   • 2014 September 24, Sue Fea, “Mongrel Mob seeks redemption”, in Stuff:

     "The whole gang does this nationwide," said Mason. "That's our kopapa and we want to help, but there are a lot of us out there and not everyone's angels."

   • 2019 May 24, Christine Rovoi, “Pacific Mamas drape Auckland Town hall with gift of love”, in RNZ (Radio New Zealand):

     "And turning it into something that's really beautiful and really meaningful is a real testament to the Mamas and their kopapa and what they're doing in terms of thinking about future generations and passing on knowledge," she said.

   • 2019 October 6, Matt Shand, “Matakana Island reeling from the sudden deaths of three”, in Waikato Times:

     "Tipene and I were really close. He was just a happy fella. Very kopapa driven. He lived hard and worked hard."

Usage notes

Use in English most often occurs when describing the code of conduct and mission of an organization.