MAORI NAMES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 5 October 1927, Page 3

MAORI NAMES.

XXII.

(By Rev. H. J. Fletcher.)

Ngahue- is an old name among the Maoris, but it is not a word in common use. it appears in the dictionary with the meaning of “swarm” or “appear in great numbers.” Ag a hue was a companion of Kupe, when he visited Aq tea run and lie is credited with the discovery of the precious Pounaniu (greenstone), a block at winch he took back to Tahiti.. Nga, huru is a word beset with difficulties. Words may be derived from Nga hum, the plural of whatever “Huru” stands for, or, Ngahuru, the old Polynesian name for ten, or harvest. The name Ngahuru occurs in every ancient -story long prior to the great. ‘ ‘heke. ’ ’ It appears on such widely separated lines m Tuhoe, Arawa and Taranaki, but- in no case is there any indication as to what is the origin of the word. It is rather curious coincidence that a theory set forth by Mr Edward Tregear in Ills book “The Aryan Maori,” shows that- the three meanings of Ngahuru given above, are derived front the one. In the proverbs where the word occurs, Mr Tregear maintains that Hum, the word for the hair of an animal, was originally the

word for wool. That Nga hum is wool, plural; that it means shearing time (harvest); and that Ngahuru (ten) was the time of shearing. In the old story of Ivae and Tinman there is a person of the- name of Nga huruhuru o> Rune, which has been rendered as “The- feathers of R-upe.” Ngahuru tu hoe-hoe was one of the names used for summer in the old teaching of the house of learning. The word Nga-i introduces u-s to a ■ long list of names in which Nga-i equals Ngati, the tribal prefix, with a few exceptions. In one of the genealogical lists of the- ancestors of Toi we find a number of these names. They are Ngai nui, Nga-i roa, Ngai peha, Ngai tuturi and Ngai pekapeka. These five- names are claimed as ancestors of Toi, but we think they are not names of individuals, the use of the term in this connection implies a- company. There -i-s much that ik uncertain about these five words. The first two appear in several publications in the same form and same spelling, but the others- vary in spelling. Their position on Toi’s genealogy gives an. approximate date of about 1000 to 1100 A.D. and the place Tahiti or one of the adjacent isles. There- is no doubt about the word Ngai Tahu. It is the name of a very widely spread people, who claim Tahu potiki as their ancestor. It is claimed that all the tribes of the east (from East Cape to Wellington) land all the tribes of the South Island can claim him as an ancestor. He was the youngest brother of Porourangi the eponymous ancestor of Ngati Porou of Poverty Bay and Ela-st Cape.

Tahu potiki is a term of endearment and may be translated as “the last -born darling,” but we cannot guarantee its -application in the above case.

There are -a- large number of these tribal names, but it would not serve any good purpose to use them all as examples, one or two will suffice. Ngai tu ahuriri, was the name of a sub tribe of Ngai Tahu of the South Island. Tu ahuriri the eponymous ancestor lived about 300 year® ago. Ngai Tu moana- was an old east- coast tribe, who derived their name from a chief called Tu moana (stand in the! sea). I

Nga Iwii was the name applied to some of the old tribes of the Auckland Isthmus by the later arrivals. It meant, the tribes. There is a range of hills in Hawke’s Bay, near Takapau. which rejoices in the name of Ngai kaii hinaki a Tarawhata. The eel pots of Tarawhatia. Nga Knka waha nui, the big mouthed parrots, was a curious nic-k name applied to the Wairarapa natives by those of Rangitikei and Mannwatu. Ngakau pakoa, is a most curious word. It is mentioned in the “Lore of the Whare Wananga’’ as one of the battles of the Gods. This strife seems to. be a Maori version of the strife between good and evil, in which Whiro, the leader of the rebellious faction was defeated. Ngakau ptakoa, was also the name of a. battle between Ngati Hauiti and Ngati Ira in the Wairarapa valley. No explnaation has been given in either case of the meaning of the word “pakoa.” in this connection, but faint hearted would be a fair translation.

Nga Kerikeringa a Rluaumoko, is an old name of the Whanganuii river, the meaning is “the diggings of Ruaumoko.” Ruanmoko’ was the God of Earthquakes and the name really implies that the channel of the river was formed by an earthquake or a series of them. This name, like’ many others, raises many strange thoughts. Hew much did the Maoris know of the geological history of their land? Nga Maliaiiga. is the name of one of the Taranaki Hap its dating back to about the end ot the loth century. The word means “twins.” Moeahu and Tai hawea; were twins, grandchildren of Whare matangi anti it is from them the Hapu derive their name. Ng.a Maliaiiga is also the name ot several different places and as the word also means “snares” it is more than likely that some of them arc from that meaning. Nga Mai lit is the name of a Whakatiane tribe of early days. Two suggestions have been made as to the origin ot the name. One is, that the name is from “Mailii,” the carved fa.cjjig boards of the hoti-se ol Rua nm.no. The other is that one “Mailii” was a son of tiie same Rua inaiio. The first has the better probability.

Nga Marania was the name of one of the old tribes prior to the great Heke. The name does nut appear so ancient as the tribe, far one authority says the name is derived from Miarama, a lady of rank of tile Ta.iuui migration. It was a fairly common practice to discard an old name and adopt a new one to commemorate some special event.

Nga mata. hou ruia anti Nga mat a i whao rua are two names by which I Kupe’s canoe was known. It may bel that at one time the two words had a similar meaning, but that cannot be is aid at the present time. Nga moko a te Aowehea was the name of a famous Taiaha of Ngati Per cm. Te Aowehea was a. son of a very famous E-ast C 'oast chief of many I years ago. This weapon was consulted by the Ngati Poroti tribe before venturing to engage in battle with another tribe. If the omens were favourable, it is said that the Taiaha would turn over ou the mat ill iron of them all. The man who wias lucky enough to use the weapon in combat was never defeated.

Nga, Motu us one of tlio.se appropriate names often found among the Maoris. It was the name of a portion of the coiast at New Plymouth. The

meaning of the word is “The Islands.” It- was named from the islands that are so prominent a feature of the New Plymouth harbour. Ngana is a peculiar word, it appears on a Cosmological genealogy immediately after the “Kores” o-r period® of Nothingness. It is followed in order by Ngana nui, Ngana- roa, Ngana ruru and others. This list- was from the late Waihan-uii, head chief of the Ngati-Maniapotos. Another list- from Sho-rtland’is- Maori Religion and Mythology has some of the same words in the same order, but with a number of word® connected with the powers of the air and winds, immediately preeeeding Ngana in which Hau ngangana is given as “blustering

winch” In this list the- powers of the air come between “Ngana” and “the Kores.” Nganungan-a a rangi was- one of the minor Cock. Ngana te ariki was- a chief in ancient Irihi-a and Ngana te Irihia and Ngana te wareware are two expressions in an /ancient kar-akia- relating to the goddess of Hades. These last two have been rendered as “persistence suspended’’ and “persistent oblivion. ” There- are -a few words beginning with “Ngangia” and they seem to have some afinity with the previous word “Ngana” for an ancestor of Toi appears- on one list as Ngana and on another was Ngangia-n-a. And Hau ngangana- (given above) reappears on another list a-s Ngangana te hau. Nga ngutu maio-ro, was /another name for the Wa-imate pa at the mouth of the Ka-puni -river. A sketch of thi® famou-s old pa was made by Major Heap-hy in 1840. A comparison of the sketch with the present appearance of the pa shows that since 1840 most of the pa- has been taken by the inroads of the sea.

Nga Potiki is the name of a Tahoe tribe who claim descent from a man named Potiki. One of the strange things about the- tribe is, that, although there is hardly any doubt about the descent of the tribe, yet no- authentic information is available about the origin of the man named Potiki. Nga. pourua is lan •ancient- name of the Ngati Ruanui. Pourua is said to have the same meaning a® Ruanui, which is- derived from the word for a kume-ra pit. puhi i*s the name of one of the North Auckland tribes, perhaps the largest. The origin of the name has been much is dispute, but the claim that it is derived from -a Tinted ancestor. namely, Puhi moana- ariki, has much to recommend it. In a note, referring to the Takitumu, by Hare Hongi', it says: “A lower decorative pilumCj which tuoched the very water, was intended -as la. place- of honour for the- aquatic deities, this was named Puhi moana ariki.” Nga Puhi pieans the plumes -and- Puhi Moana ariki means, plume of the sea- lord. It refers to the feather -streamers used to decorate a war canoe.

Nga puke turn a is the name of a pa near New Plymouth. It takes its name from the- two hills. Nga Pima- -a- Tama is the name of two small lakes on the Tonganiro range. The- name means “the springs of Tama.” and from the form of the name it is- implied that- Tama- produced them, but who- the particular “Tama” .was we do not know.

Nga Puna wa-i karikari a Rakaiha-u----tu, i® the- name for the lakes in the South Island. It is not sq- formidable ns it looks, for it sim-ply means “the water springs dug out by Rakaiha-utu.” We will meet with this gentleman’s name later on. He was one of the first, if not the first, Maori in the South Island.

Nga Rangi, the days, has been used largely as a personal name in widely separated d.istricts. Nga rangi kahia was the name of one of Jflie crew of Horouta, hut there is no- meaning in the dictionary that would fit the word “kahia” in this connection. Nga rangi tere mauri, ie said on the authority of the late Colonel Gudgeon to have been one of the crew of Takitimu.

Nga rangi tu tahanga, day of standing empty, was a chief on an East Coast line. His grandfather was named Nga rangi ka uhia, now, ka uliia te rangi, means, the heavens are covered with clouds. The name is simply another form of the same expression . Nga rsv o Kupe, is the name of a light coloured cliff west of Cape Palliser. “The story connected with the is, that Kupe and his companion Ngake were camped here on one' occasion, when a contention arose as to who could succeed in first completing a canoe sail. So each started to work in the evening to’ make a sail; Kupe had finished his a little after midnight whilst Ngake did not complete links until dawn. Thus Kupe won. The sails were then hung un against the cl i ffs. ”

Xgarara is the common word for insect. lizard, or reptile, and as a personal name it has been borne by several chiefs. A few compounds are held over for our next paper. (To be continued.)