AOTEAROA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 112, 15 May 1939, Page 8

AOTEAROA

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was much interested in the remarks on the above heading of Mr. Johannes C. Andersen and Bishop Bennett. When one finds two gentlemen of such wide knowledge of the matter agreeing that "the hyphens must go" one feels there is little more to be said on that head. -

Mr. Andersen, I notice, gives "Ao" cloud (or earth), "tea" white, and "roa" long. It seems to me that Mr. Andersen, in ' dealing with the main point, thought it not relevant to refer to the other translation of the threefold word. The term "The Long White Cloud" is certainly euphonious, and perhaps it is not unlikely that it was chosen very largely for this reason by the Hon. W. .P. Reeves when he wrote his book.

Nearly 40 years ago (38 to be exact) I read, a letter in the "Evening Post" written by one who claimed to have been a Maori interpreter in the sixties. This old gentleman explained that Aotearoa could mean '^the Land of the Long Twilight," and he accepted this himself. About two years (.or more) ago I read again in the "Evening Post" that this had become with many the accepted theory. ,

1 Early in the present year, I received from Mr. E. J^ Brady, whom it would be far from absurd to describe as the most prolific writer of verse and prose in Australia, " a poem (not yet published) bearing the title "The Odyssey" to be used as an elocutionary or broadcast item when I choose. He thought it should interest the Native portion of our population, and I think I should add many of their pakeha brethren. It is the poet's conception of the voyage of the six canoes from Hawaiki to New Zealand. In it he uses the term, and uses it very beautifully, thus: "A long white cloud breaks o'er the rim of morning seas." ' ■ On my pointing out to him the alternative rendering, I found he was acquainted with it already, but' had used the former "because it fitted the rhythm and had been accepted by a generation of readers." The translation he has, and which he believes nearest to correct, is "The Land of the (Long) Lingering Daylight." I believe that if Mr. Andersen 'would at some time write something, however brief; on this subject, it would interest a good many besides myself.—l am, etc., J. S. WEBB.