Where does “mahi okaoka” come from?

mahi okaoka (Maori) comes from Maori okaoka, from Maori oka, from Proto-Polynesian *hoka.

Ancestry of “mahi okaoka”, step by step

mahi okaoka traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Maori okaoka

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoriokaoka—
2Maoriokayam
3Proto-Polynesian*hoka—

via Maori mahi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorimahito work, do, perform, make, accomplish, practise,...
2Proto-Polynesian*mafi—
Every word from Proto-Polynesian *hoka →Every word from Maori oka →Every word from Maori okaoka →
mahi okaoka — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer