MOTUIHI NOMENCLATURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 193, 17 August 1931, Page 6

MOTUIHI NOMENCLATURE

For other than its setting and beauty as a marine playground, Motuihi Island, which some time ago was vested in the Auckland City Council as a public park, will enjoy the patronage of the general public and visitors. It is a haven that links Auckland with Captain Cook, as well as with native history. Therefore the civic authorities acted wisely in , seeking the cooperation of Te Akarana Maori Association in order to preserve the old place names. With the assistance of a number of elderly Hauraki natives, the association has been able to rescue, almost from oblivion, the original names of headlands and bays, but further research is being undertaken to complete the nomenclature records. The wharf locality at the island is Tauranga-o-Kahu (Kahu's landing place), Kahu being a son of the Arawa navigator, Tamate Kapua. On the northern coast is Te Kae-o-Kahu, or Kahu'e headland. The quarantine bay itself in the early days was a favourite, fishing haunt of tribal fishermen and had the title Wai-Hao-Rangatahi, which moans the waters where the net ie cast. Motuihi stands for ''Piper Island," the bay referred to being regarded as a safe and sure place for the catching of piper. Some authorities, however, claim that the island was known as "Motu-a-Ihe" and was thereby named after Ehanga, another son of Kapua, who was bestowing possession in the ancient native manner. Shortly after 1350 most of the islands of Hauraki Gulf became the property of the Arawas, who merged with the original inhabitants to be the Ngati-Hnarere, Huarere being the Arawa chief. A later change was the Xgati-Pawa advent, who were in possession at the time of the arrival of Cook. It was this tribe which eventually gained official ownership of the gulf coast and island groups bv award of the Native Land Court. So Motuihi, one way and another, has been a lmich-sought-after "jewel." —TANK