Ko te whakataukī he kōrero e whakaatu ana i ngā tini āhuatanga o te Māori me te āhua o tōna taiao (Milroy, 2004, wh. 38).  Hei tuinga ake, he kōrero e pupuri ana i ngā tohutohu e tau ai te noho o te tangata ki te whenua.  Ka rerekē te whakatakotoranga o te kupu o te whakataukī o nehe, ki te reo Māori o nāianei.  Ko ngā whakataukī o tāukiuki i titoa i te wā e ora tonu ana ngā whare wānanga o nehe me ōna tohunga.  Ka mutu, ko te reo me ōna kupu kei tērā taumata e rere ana.  Nō reira, he kōrero e whakaata ana i te ao Māori, ko ōna atua, ko ōna tikanga, ko ōna pakanga, ko ōna tātai whakapapa, ko ōna mātauranga, ko ōna tohutohu (Milroy, 2004, wh. 38).  Ka tākaitia ake aua mātauranga ki te kōrero poto noa iho, ka tuku iho ai ki ngā uri whakaheke.