MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 8

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

With reference to the recent discussion on Maori names, a writer in the New Zealand Times states: —

I observe in your issue of the 10th mat. that " Waikato" writes with reference to Maori names of the Union Company's newsteamers, presuming to correct the translation of the word " Makura " for " all red," stating- that it is a combination of " red and white," but not "all red." This, I admit, is oorrect in a small degree, but "Waikato" has evidently forgotten that " ma" lias many more meanings than that of "white" or "for" or "by way of" or "by means of" and therefore, in my opinion, none of his interpretations have any connection with the name "Makura" or "Mawhero." The Maori work "Manga" and its synonym " peka" ("peka" being more applicable to the branch of a tree, the former word being more generally used to denote the tributary of a stream or river or the branch of an estuary) are the words from which " Makura" "is derived, and therefore in this case " ma" is evidently an abbreviation of the word "Manga;" for example, " Makirikiri" the gravelly stream or tributary; " Makowhai," the tributary near which the "kowhai" tree grows plentifully; "Maharakoke," the tributary or stream on each side of which New Zealand flax grows; "Mangapikopiko," the crooked stream or tributary; and " Mangawhero," the main tributary of the Wangehu River ("whero," red) the water of which is a reddish brown. If, as I .presume, the name "Makura" or "Mawhero" is derived' from the South Island, and especially from the West Coast, the truest and most correct interpretation is "all red," inasmuch as many of the streams or tributaries of the greater rivers on the West Coast of the South Island have their beds filled with coarse gravel and .boulder stones. ' In most of these streams or tributaries through which I have travelled the stones are covered with red lichen, in many cases brilliantly red, and there oan be little doubt that the derivation of the name, " Makura," or " Mawhero " is from a particular tributary or stream named " Makura." If the name were fully spelled it would be " Mangakura," " ma" being simply the abbreviation of "manga," the tributary or stream. In time of peace the natives used to travel up and down the beds of streams, or rivers, in times of war, of course, along the hill tops for safety; but the Mijori trs?veller's route along a " Makura" stream would undoubtedly be an "All-red" route, hence the • appropriateness of the name " Makura " for a steamer to be employed in the "All-Red" route between the colonies and Great Britain.