MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 210, 5 September 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

[Continued from last Saturday's Supplement-]

MAORI NAMES OF PLACES IN THE PROVINCIAL DISTRICTOF MARLBOROUQH. By W. H. SnEBWOOD Roberts, [Revised and Edited by the Venerable Archdeacon Grace, of Blenheim.] Note. —The notes and comments by the Yen. Ar< hdeacnn Grace, are signed "T.S,G." Those by S.Percy Smith, Esq., " S.P.S." Mr G. W. Adams reported in 1898 that, " The most important track in the sounds is. the Mabakipawa to TitirflDgi track, about sixty miles in length. It begins at the main road through theLiokwater Dale, connecting the southern portion of Queen Charlotte Sound with the Mahakipawa arm of the Pelorus Sound, but nearer the latter. It crosses a high saddle, and follows the south side of Mahau Sound, and Kenepuru Sound to its head, and back along its northern shore to Waitaria Bay: thence over the Manaroa Saddle, about 980 feet above sea level, and then down to Manaroa Post Office. It then runs along the east shore of Clova Bay and Bt atrix Bay, to a low saddle, over which it passes, and on to Te Puru, the head of Okoha, or Anakoa Bay, and north eastward to Titirangi Bay (Neave'e) the terminus. A track was also made from Manaroa to Elie Bay (Crail Bay) past Hopai. Bridle-roads were constructed conn^ct;rg »tSe ioilowin^- baj/s ou the Island of Arapawa, Onepopiti, Te Awaiti, Whekenui and Okukari, joining at 'the saddle the track from Otenarua." Anakoa should fee spelt Ana-koba, and Okoa Okoha, or Okohau (meaning " the gathering, or beaping up of the winds." It certainly often blows hard in that particular bay and valley. Wekenui should be written "Wheke-nui big octopus. T.S.G.) Mr Buick in " Old Marlborough" states that: "At Ferndale, on the opposite side of Kenepuru, are the sepulchral mounds from which it was first ascertained that the ancient inhabitants of the country practised cremation. There also are pit dwellings of some early race. These pit dwellings are found in many parts of Marlborougb, and on Arapawa and D'Urville's Island,,and are attributed to the Mooriori race, who, | it is believed, occupied the Marlborough Province before they were [ driven out by the Maoris." The bay to the west of Kaubau-roa is Tawhiti nui (a big trap). Tbe headland west of it is Tapa Point (to stoop, or lie down). Richmond Bay was Pohue-nui (a large clematis.) Kfctu (to begin to ebb) Bay is at the north west of Kenny's Isle. It is wrong to spell it Keetu. East Entry J Point is Kai-tira (eat the fin of a fish). Forsyth Bay is Hiku-rangi (the edge of tbe tky, i.e. horizon). A long point on the east of Forsyth Bay is Te Au-a-tiikarGre (Tukarere's j currant or tide rip T.S.G.) Forsyth Island is Te Paruparu (the mud). Leaving tbe Pelorus and going eastward, we enter Guard's bay, named after a very early whaler, j The Maori name usually assigned to ; it ia Kaka-pau (parrot consumed) but j Archdeacon Grace thinks it is a mis- 1 spelling of Kakapo, the green night parrot. It has two arms—Ana koha Bay, on the south west, runs about. four miles inland. Although the j usual interpretation of Ana is "a cave," in the ancient Ngati Kuia dialect it was generally used for " a bay," therefore Ana-koba will mean " Parting Instructions Bay," ov " Generosity Bay." In some maps t it is misspelt Anakoa. A small bay on the east of Anakoha j Bay is Te Puru (the plug). O-koha means " the place of parting instructions," or of generosity. The north east head of Anakoba Bay is Tawaroa (tall 'tawa tree). A mountain east of Anakoha Bay, 2788 feet high,' is Tahua-kai (a heap of food), and one south west, 3258 feet altitude, is Kiwi, the Apteryx bird. The other arm of Guard's Bay is Titi-rangi (Heaven piercer, or the shrub Veronica Speciosa). Titi-rangi is also the name of the eastern head, east of which is Hi koekoaa Bay, meaning "to catch the long-tailed Cuckoo with a hook and line " (This is doubtful meaning; Hikoekoea is the name itself of the Cuckoo. T.t.G.) Alligator Head was Te Pouataikino (if this spelling is correct, it would mean Taikino's post, referring probably to some rock, or bold headland, at which place a very strong or evil tide (tai) runs. But I think the name should be Te Paua-a-taikino ; " Taikino's mutton fish shell." T. 8.G.) North of Alligator Head is a small island which is generally known as Mo'u Ngara (Reptile Island), but it also has the name of Titi (Mutton bird.) The bay on the east of Alligator Head is Wai-tui (Parson bird water.) Cape Lambert was Te Uku (the white clay.) Port Gore was Anamahanga (Snare Bay). A small stream running into Melville cove is Te Nui, meaning " the big," as it is the largest river in that cove. Tunnel Bay was Kakab.au (the famous parrot). Pool Head in Gore Bay was Rawhero (red sun). There are two Native Reserves south of Gore Bay, named O-taki, Mr Taki's place, and Anamahanga (Snare Bay), south of the latter is Mount Furneaux, 2700 feet high, named in memory of the celebrated navigator, who was in command of tbe ship Adventure on Cook's second voyage. The Maori name of it was Puhi-kereru (a wood pigeon's tuft of feathers).

afttr one of the Secretaries of the Admiralty Board, when he erected a staff surrounded by a cairn of'stones on the cape, and left a piece of an old pennant flap flying, the first British flag unfurled on the Middle Island. Its Maori name was Tao-nui-a-Kupe, Mr Kwpe's big spe>*r. Sonth of Cape Jnckson is Wai bi (hissing water) Point.. South of Kempe Point is Ana-kaka-ta (the bay where a kaka was speared). About three miles south west of Kempe Point is Mount Tau whaka (to lie in wait) 2256 feet above sea level. In late maps it has the name Q-tera-wbanga (there is the place to lie in wait). (I think O-tera-wbonga should be spelt O-tira wbanga, the place where they waited for tbe company of travellers. T.S.G.) All the hills and ridges dividing these sounds and inlets, were formerly covered with dense forest from base to summit;, many of the lovely ever-grt-en trees clipping their waving boughs in the ever restless brine— Rimu, Kabikatca, Ma<ai, Totara, Miro, and Tawa, with Pukatea and Kohekohe along tbe shores, aDd Tawai, the native Beech, miscalled Birch, on tbe hill tops, with numerous under-growing shrubs and beautiful ferns. The principal second growth which sprung up spontane cusly in deserted Maori clearings and cultivations (mara, or waerenga) was Kohekohe (Dysoxylum speciahile), locally called Cedar. Queen Charlotte Sound was Okokuri (dog's wooden bowl). (This is very, doubtful. .-T.K/a.V <£'pa tlere '!>»!&'the same name. It is a mistake to say that the name of the sound was Totaranui, that was the name of Ship Cove only. The bay north of Ship Cove was Ana-hou (new bay, or bay that runs in deep). Captain Cook named it Cannibal Bay, because he there saw the Maoris eating co( ked human flesh. Tbe bay north of Cannibal Bay is Waikawa (water unpleasant to the taste.) A small island two miles east cf Ship Cove is Motu-ara (raised up island). On the Gore District survey map it is named Mbtu-ana-uru (West Bay Island). Captain Cook had a garden of vegetables thera on bis three visits to the sound during 1770 to 1779. The following extract from " Cook's First Voyage" will be of interest in connection with this part of Queen Charlotte Sound. " The carpenter having prepared two posts to be left as memorials of our having visited this place, I ordered them to be inscribed with the ship's name and the year and month—Both January 1770—one of which I set up at the watering place in bhip Cove, hoisting the Union Flag upon the top of it; and the other I carried over to the island that lie's nearest to the sea, called by the natives Motuara. I went first; to the village or Hippab (He Pa), where I met with our old man Topaa, and told him and several others, by means of Tupia, that we were come to set up a maik upon tbe island, in order to show to any other ship which should happen to. cometbitber, that wo had been there before. Rio this .they readily con sented. and promised that they would never pull it down. I then gave something to everyone present, and to the old man 1 gave a silver threepence, dated 1786; and some- spike nails, with ,the King's broad arrow cut deep upon them. I then took the po3t to the highest part of the island, and after fixing it firmly in the ground, I hoisted upon it the Union Flag and honoured this inlet with the name of Queen Charlotte's Sound, and at the time taking formal possession of this and the adjacent country, in tbe name and for the use of His Majesty King George the Third. We then drank a bottle of wine to Her Majesty's health, and gave the bottle to the old man, who had attended us up the hill, and who was mighty delighted with his present." It is Worthy of remark that Cook used the apostrophe 's in naming the sound. " While the post was setting up we enquired of Topaa concerning the passage into the eastern sea, the existence of which he confirmed ; and then asked him about the land to the south west of the streight, where we were then situated. This land, be said, consisted of two Wkenuas or islands, which might be circumnavigated in a few days, and which he called Tovy Poenammoo (Te Wai pounamu), the literal translation of this word is " the water of green tale"; and probably if we had. understood him better, we should have found that Tovy Poenammoo was the name of some particular place where they got the green tale, or stone of whioh they make their ornaments and tools, and not a general name for the whole southern district. He said there was also a third Whenua on the east side of the streigbt, the circumnavigation of which would take up many moons: this he calltd Raheinomauwe (He ahi-no-maui—the fire of maui): and to the land on the borders of the streight he gave the name of Tiera Witte." (Te~ra-whiti the sun rise. T.S.G.) By the " Reserves and Crown Lands Disposal Act 1896," the New Zealand Government has reserved 1870 acres in Ship Cove in memory of Captain James Cook, to be retained in its natural state as nearly as may be. The land round Ship Cove, Cook wrote, was Totara-nui (big Totara teee) and was possessed by the Ngati. £ra tribe. But the Maori residents in the different sounds appear to have been descended from various tribes, the most numerous being Ngati Awa, Ngati Kuia and Bangi tane. I

Bottle Rock, south of Slilp Cove was Aka-tartwa (drooping climbing plant). Cook named the inlet west' of Bottle Rook. Resolution/Bay, arid the next Endeavour Bay after his two ships. The Maori'names of them were Atapu, and Punaruawhiti (to cross over in pairs). Drydon Bay was Te Kurakura (the red place), which was .also the name of the second point south of it. The bay south v/pst of Drydon Bay was Miri-tu, which may mean "a coarse flax mat to stand on." Its pastern head, Snake Point ia called Tau-moana (partition of the sea), which Archdeacon Grace thinks is misspelt, and should bo Te-au-mo-ma, meaning " a current of the pea," having reference possibly to a strong tide at this point. West Head iv Rua-kaka Bay was Pirata (sharp). (Rua kaka naeai-s " parrot hole," the Kaka builds in holes of trees; T.S.G.) A point half way up the bay, on the east shore is Pi r«pu (to starch for young birds); and a point opposite to it. on the west shore is Ratimera. The western bead is Neara kore (broken snail, shell). The, Rua-kaka Native Reserve nearly surrounds the bay. The next bay to the west is Tabuahua (e> heap .of . f'-od). The eastern head and a hill 824 feet high are also named Ta-huabua. On the west shore of the bay there are three points: the northernmost one Tunoaniai, the middle one Pari-whero (red cliff), the southern "one Parikohikuhi (cliff«u-oollt.ouett together).' To tie west of the last point is Kaipapa Bay (both syllables' of papa being pronounced short, Kai-papa means " the flat place, or flat rock where food was eaten." T.8.G.) North of Kumu-toto Point is Kumutoto Bay. Kumu toto Native Reserve surrounds this bay and Kai-pakirikiri Bay, which is to the westward, separated from Kumu toto Bay by Kai-pakirikiri (eat rock cod fish) Point. Kumu-toto is known by the English Dame of Powerful Bay. South of the entrance to Powerful Bay lies Mabel Island or, Moturtgarara (Reptile Island*. "Within Kai ptfpa Bay, under the shelter of Price's Point, the northern head, was the Maori Kaika, Kai-papa, at one time celebrated for its peach groves and cultivations. The point weot of Kai pakirikiri Bay is Pihaka. t A bay west of Pihaka Point, running nearly across to Kenepuru Sound, is Torea moua (an oyster-oatcher bird caught), the narrow piece of land between being Torea Neck. The southern bead of Torea moua Bay is Nga-tawhetawhe (the old garments).- Wet head of Double Cove is Nohokouaua (to sit iv sprinkling rain.) The point south west of Lochmara Bay is Hau-te-horo (the swift wind). The point we&t of it is Toro papa (to lie flat), which is the east head of Onahaa Bay (his prestige). A hill west of the bay, 1822 feet above sea level, is also named Onabau. The south west head of Ouuhau Bay is Houhou Point (the nnme of a tree, or to obtain by digging). To the west is P-u-roa Point (a long wind instrument), and Umungata (oven for snails) Point and Bay. A point south west of it is Iwituaroa (the back bone of any vertebrate animal). The bay at the south west extremity of Queen Charlotte Sound is generally named Ana-Kiwa (Kiwa's Bay). Arcbdeacon Grace says it should be Ana Kiwi, Apteryx Bay. This peculiar siruthious bird was formerly very plentiful in these parts, and still is in places where the native forest is undisturbed. Nearly two miles east of Ana-Kiwi is a point named Momo-rangi (off sprii g of Heaven). The next point is Takapu-tira. East of it is Nga.kuta Bay (the water plants). Then Whenua-nui Bay superior land), where there is a Native Reserve. East of it is Kaireperepe Point (eat elephant fish. Callorhynchus.) Further east we find Iwi-rua (two bones) Point. Wedge Pnint was Te Mimi. Sbakespear« Bay was Kai-pupu (eat periwinkles), which was also the name of its' eastern head. There is another Mabel Island north of this point, but perhaps the map is wrong in having two islands of the same name, so near each other. The Maori name of it is Tuku-robu (lowering of the haze, as when the haze or mist is seen to descend into the valley, or on to the water, off the hill tops. T. S.G.) Picton harbour, which was known in 1850 as Newton Bay, bad the j Maori name of Uru-kakea (matter, or pus discharged from the bead). The town of Picton is pleasantly situated at the south end of the inlet, about 25 miles from the northern entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound, and 58 miles from Wellington via the Tory Channel. A Maori pa formerly occupied the site, named Wai tobi (Waitohi is the name given to what is now tbe site of the town of Pictou by the notorious Ngatitoa warrior Te Rauparaba, in memory of an 1 accident which befell his daughter Waitohi on that apot. She was accidentally burned there, and Te Rauparaba named tbe place Te wera-a-Waitohi — the burning of Waitohi—abbreviated to Waitohi. The original name of the spot gave way to this one with ths Maoris. : T.S.G.) Wai-tohi means " tbe water of tbe baptismal rite, or the tohi taua rite, a 1 ceremony or incantation used before i and after a battle. It wa.B a very '. sacred ceremony, and women and i children were strictly prohibited from j witnessing it. Mr Elsdon Best wrote i a very interesting account of both i ceremonses in the New Zealand Illus- i

Cape Jackson was named by Captain Cook on 29th January 1770, {■rated Magazine, a few extraots from which will be appreciated. " From the early age of a few days male children were dedicated to tbe two great services of Maori economy —War and Labour. On the birth of a male" child it was taken by tbe priest to the wai tapu, or SHcr. d waterg of the village. . , In this water the priest performed over tbe child the ceremony • f Til ora, the purpose of which was to endow the child v/iih vitality, with physical and mentfil vigour. After this the mother and child were kept vvifchio the Whare Kohawja, or nosfc bonce, a rough sht d specially constructed for thorn, for five or six days. The ttui rite was then performed in order fco take the tapu f'ff the child and mother This was done by the priest taking the child in his arms, and entering the stream, sprinkling water over the boy. The priest would repeat several invocations in order to lift or disperse the tapu, and to endow the child with strength, health, a clear mind, wisdom and bravery. When the child is old enough to prattle be is again hand<d over to the priest that be may perform over him tbe toki ceremony, which is much the same as the tua in its formula and objpets. An incident of the told rite wad causing tbe child to swallow a small stone. This aocompanied by an appropriate invocation was to " harden" the child, so that weapons may not pierce him' in fbe day of battle, as also to render him strenuous in the fray." " Tbe tohi tana or wai taua rite as Derforrxu d over a body of men about io go into action may be here mentioned. The warriors arranged themselves in ranks by the river side. The priest provided himself with a green bunch of the karamu sbrnb, and dipping it into the water struck each warrior with tbe same upon tbe right shoulder, repeating the invocat on" to Tv appropriate to the occasion. the branch was struck upon ihe man's shoulder, should a leaf fall, or a branch be broken, it was a sign that the man under operation would be slain should he take part in the coming fight." [To be continued.] I