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He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata — what is the most important thing in the world? It is people.

Māori proverb / whakataukī

ProverbsPhilosophyLanguage

Why it matters

The idea in context

The line is often quoted in Aotearoa New Zealand because it refuses to let value become abstract. Not wealth, not status, not the plan: people. In Māori contexts it belongs to a wider ethic of relationship, care and responsibility. It is simple enough to sound obvious, which is why it bears repeating. Most failures of judgement begin by forgetting it.

Türkçe

Aynı kart, başka bir dilde.

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata — dünyadaki en önemli şey nedir? İnsandır.
Māori atasözü / whakataukī

Bu söz Aotearoa Yeni Zelanda'da sıkça alıntılanır; çünkü değerin soyutlaşmasına izin vermez. Servet değil, statü değil, plan değil: insan. Māori bağlamında ilişki, özen ve sorumluluk etiğinin parçasıdır. Apaçık duyulacak kadar basittir; bu yüzden yinelenmeyi hak eder. Çoğu muhakeme hatası bunu unutmakla başlar.

Source trail

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Background reading: Māori cultureAttribution and context are revised when stronger evidence appears. Corrections are welcome through the editorial page.
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