Kia kaha Kia kaha Kia kaha is a Māori phrase used by the people of New Zealand as an affirmation, meaning "stay strong". The phrase has significant meaning for Māori: popularised through its usage by the 28th Māori Battalion during World War II, it is found in titles of books and songs, as well as a motto. Linguistically, kia kaha consists of the desiderative verbal particle "kia", used here as 'an encouragement to achieve the state named', that is, to achieve "kaha" or strength. "Kaha" derives from Proto-Polynesian "*kafa", meaning "strong" or "great"; "*kafa" is also the Proto-Polynesian term for sennit rope,
Mumbo jumbo (phrase) Mumbo jumbo (phrase) Mumbo jumbo, or mumbo-jumbo, is confusing or meaningless language. The phrase is often used to express humorous criticism of middle-management, and specialty jargon, such as legalese, that non-specialists have difficulty in understanding. For example, "I don't understand all that legal mumbo jumbo in the fine print." It may also refer to practices based on superstition, rituals intended to cause confusion, or languages that the speaker does not understand. "Mumbo Jumbo" is an English word often cited by historians and etymologists as deriving from the Mandinka word, "Maamajomboo", which refers to a masked male dancer who takes part