MAORI PLACE NAMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20786, 3 August 1929, Page 2

MAORI PLACE NAMES.

Written for the Otago Daily Times. By H. J. Fletcheii. HI. Mana pouri, the present spelling of one of the large lakes in Western Otago, has been the subject of many discussions. I do hot propose to add to that what has already been said, but to bring under one head the substance of the matter. In a note in the Polynesian Journal, Vol. XIV, page 40, Mr J. Cowan says that “Motu ran is an ancient name for the lake called by Europeans Mana pouri.” To which is added by the editor, the late Mr S. P. Smith, the following:—“ This name seems to fit the lake for its meaning is ‘many islands. But the name of the lake as give to me by Horomana Patu, an old chief Ngai Tabu, was Manawa-pore (pore, abbreviated form of poporo, which probably means the ‘ anxious heart,’ and the name may have arisen through the anxiety of some early voyager on the lake as to whether he would survive the squalls common there, in his frail canoe.” ■ Mr Cowan also states that “Manawa pore is the name given to the larger and most northern of the two lakes called Mavora.” In the same journal (page 183) there is a note from a Dunedin paper of about 1896 stating, on the authority of Hoani .Matewai Poko, that “ the proper name of the lake now called Mana pouri is Motu rau. In another reference by Mr J. Cowan in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. Vol. XXXVIII, he states that * Mana pouri is simply a modernised rendering of the name Manawa C?™, I? I ’, * Manawa popore”). Mr W. H. S. Roberts, in his “Maori Nomenclature, has all the above, and much more from other writers. With all the evidence before it, the Parliamentary Committee fixed the correct spelling to , M “awa pore. To which Mr Roberta adds. But is it correct? ” . A*' the name Mani o toto, a great deal of information has been placed on record since the publication of Mr Kobertss book in 1910, but nothing further about this name. There is no word in Maori, at least on record, spelt as “Mani 5 ’ or “Manio.” to a H probability the name should be Mama o toto," “ the plain of blood.” Unfortunately, owing to long' use, the Maoris are pronouncing the word as Mamo toto in imitation of the pakeha. • Lakes of the South Island seem to be a 'great subject of debate. The small lake in Southland called Monowai has been very much discussed. The name Monowai is not Maori. It arose through an imperfect understanding of the real name Mano ki wai, as uttered by a Maori, name is composed of the Greek word Monos (only) and the Maori word wai (water). Mapourika is the spelling of the name of a lake in Westland. It was first mentioned by the naturalist, T. H. Potts in referring to the bird life of that district, and was later mentioned by other scientists. There is no other reference to this ttapie anywhere elee ae a place name in J\ew Zealand, and it does not fit in with any suggested translation. But there is a name recorded in two different places the North Island fpelt Mapouriki, ..the small Mapous.” It is quite possible that Mapourika should be so spelt.. Mapou, or mapau, is the name given in irlants of New Zealandby Laihg and Blackwell to the family of trees and shrubs called pitosporume, from which we get some- of our fine hedge plants. Mapoutahi, the single Mapou, was the name of the pa on Goat Island; near Purakanui, that was besieged and taken, with the slighter of all the inhabitants save-one by Taoka. Mapouriki was the name of one of the canoes of olden time, which is said to have come from Rarotonga to New Zealand. , Matakaea. now known as Shag Point, is famous in Maori story as the place where To Arai te uru canoe was wrecked. The reef which runs out from the point is called Arai te uru, and the Moerakx boulders are claimed as part of the cargo of the unfortunate vessel. Mataan is the correct spelling of the river usually called Matau, or the Clutha, The latter portion of the word “an ” means a current. The whole name is from the ewift surface (Mata) current of the river. There has been a lot-of speculation as JP origin of the name Mataura. A s the latest dictionary, does not give the word, we must suppose that.it is a com- ' pou » J* has been divided ,as “ Mata ura, Ma taura,” and “ Matau ra,’ / and * n , otoer ways. Mr Roberts prefers Mataura, and translates it as “ Brown face. It is rather significant that there is a chiefs name in the south with ura as part of the term, with the translation of “ glowing.” Raki ura, the island in the south, is rendered as The red or glowing heaven.” The dictionary gives “ura” as “red, brown, or glowing.” As a translation. Brown face” or "Red. face” have in this case very little between them. If this division is correct it is evident that the name Mataura is not from anything connected with the river, nor is there anything in any of the other divisions relating to the river. ' The name is known R f very Rncient one as an ancestor of the great priest of.Te Arawa, Nga T?ro i rangi. This ancestor lived about 900 years ago. Matukituki is an example of the abform of using " Ma" for Manga.’ The meaning has not been placed on record, but "The dashing or pounding stream ” would be reasonable. Mauka Kani is the name of a hill on Jvanamera Island, near Rakiura. It was named from the capture of a Maori named fS anj > w«° was chased to the top and killed there. Nothing more is known of Te Kam, but since that time the hill-is said to be haunted by demons (atua). Mawhera is the Maori name of the Grey River in Westland. If takes its name trom the “ Gap ” in ‘he range through which it flows before reaching the sea. Mohua is an old name of the northern portion of tho South Island. The only other use of this word on record is that of the bush canary. Mokihi nui is the name of a river iu the province of Nelson, which was probably named from the use of a large raft in crossing it, Mokihi meaning a raft. A rock near the mouth of the Waitaki bears the name of Moko tere a Tarehu. This Moko was one of the crew of Arai te uru who was washed off the fiance and drowned there. Motuara or Motuaro is the name or namefi of two small islands. One is iu the Bay of Islands, and the other is in Queen Charlotte Sound. It is curious that in both cases there should be some doubt as to the correct spelling. Motiiara Ift both cases has the weight o( evidence.' Motuara in Queen Charlotte is the most histone, for it was on that little island that Captain Cook erected a flagstaff and took possession of New Zealand in the name and for the use of his Majesty King George 111 on January 31, 1770. The inlet was named in honour of her Majesty Queen Charlotte. Motiiekn, the river flowing into Tasinaii/Bay, has lost a “ w.” It should be ■ Motuweka (Weka Island). Motunau is the name of two islands One of them is off the coast of North c r,, Jm y ’ and the other is in the Bay of Plenty. The name is from a small shrub, nau. Motu para was a Ngati Manioc pa on the south bank of the Taicri River, near the mouth. This pa -was built bv a chief named Tu Wiri Roa of Kati Marnoe. Ihe word para” here is a difficult one to explain on the assumption that it is a local one. _ If we had evidence to show that it was imported from the north, the way would be clear. Motu para in the north would be "a patch of para,” para being the North Island name of one of the best kinds of fernroot used for food. This tern has been cultivated in the south under the name of "The King I‘eru, but in its native state it is really found only m the Auckland province. No other meaning of “ para ” is on record which would suit. Molupiu. Dog Island, near Bluff, is the subject of one of those curious tales of the marvellous so common among the Maoius. _ Quoting from an article by Mr U. Beattie, we find that a sub-tribe of Rapuwai, called Kati Koko, went to the sounds for greenstone. "They found a huge piece of greenstone in the sea, and they set out to drive it round to Bluff. Three canoes followed it. one on each k’dc, and one behind, and yet it nearly eluded them several times. They nearly got it ashore at Oraka, but it dodged on till it settled where it is, arid it now forms Motupiu Island.” The old Maori people always spoke of greenstone as a fish. .Pin ” moans to swing by a cord. It may be that in this way they conveyed the idea of the floating of the island to its present position. Motu rata was the name of another pa

at the mouth of the Taieri River, named from some rata trees that crew there Motu poua. at the Bluff, the Hill of the Old Man, was named from the burial of a chief named Rakitauneke on the summit, somewhere about 1650,