MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 88

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

VII.—THE NELSON DISTRICT (Continued). (By W. H. S. Robekts.) MOTUPIPI. M»t<u-pipi (Cockleshell Island), Kaika, and the Government town adjoin on© another on the west bank of the river, at its mouth, in the south-west corner of Massacre Bay, 54- miles from Nelson by sea, on a flat, which in 1856 grew abundance, of harareke (flax), manuka (accent on first syllable), and wiwi rushes, close to tho sea, and for some distance between tho sea and the forest primeval. The kaika was surrounded by a high fence of palisades. miadio cf round saplings with the thick end sunk in the ground, the tops lashed together with flax. The Kangatira (chief) of the Maoris at Motupipi in 1856 was Rawhiti (the east)., who belonged to the Ngati Awa tribe, which originally came from Taranaki. He was a large, well-set man, very much tattcoed, so that he looked nearly black, bit he was very pround of it. The paepae, or curves of the moko on his cheeks, were very perfect and wonderfully graceful, showing that the spirals had been traced by a skilled expert in the art. He said it took a long time to complete and was very painful, but the beauty of it recompensed him for all. His nose was nearly flat and as low as his cheeks, for the cartilage, or bone, had been extracted when he was very young. He could talk a little English, and often boasted of having eaten human flesh at tho cannibal feasts after fights with oth/er tribes. Ho said it tasited something like pork, bub .nicer. He considered it very good as kinaki (a relish) with potatoes or other food when properly baked in a man. He was very friendly with Europeans, and very fond of waipero, especially rum. At that time a Maori would not oat with a paheka before he had known him at least two days. As early as 1845 there were several European settlers about Motupipi. A coal pit had been opened im 1845, and was still being worked, and a lime kiln, where excellent lime was burned by Mr M'Cann in 1856. A great deal of timber was out cut by a sawmill, the bearings of which, instead of being made of brass castings, were all locally turned out of Maire (Oieo) wood, a very hard, close-grained wood, which grew only in one known spot in the Waimea, and in the North Island. The cogs in the carriages and timber bench were also locally made of maire, and they lasted much, better than brass. The turner was an excellent workman, and had a splendid lathe. There were 280 cogs in the large driving wheel, which were made of rata (ironwood —Metrosideros lucida). The frame of the mill machinery was chiefly made of black pine (mai —Podoearpus spicata). Tho principal owner of this mill was John Percy Robinson, a member of the Nelson Provincial_Cbuncil at that time, and in October, 1c66, he was elected Superintendent of the Province, which be held with benefit to the province and credit to himself until he was accidentally drowned in the Buller River on January 28, 1864, by the upsetting of a beat in which he was trying to cross the bar. He had been paying an official visit to the West Coast ooldfield;, which were within the province of Nelson. SOUTH COAST OF MASSACRE BAY. A short distance east of Motupipi aa>e two limestone reeks, standing in the sea close to the shore, known as tho Tata Islands (Tata —near, or to dash, or break as the waves do against the rock). There wero also throe Kaika —Po-aro (clear night, or open), or Po-hari (to daneo or sing in tho dark), eorrjeifcimies misspiailt Pohara. Ana-tino (cave or bay of the body, or the precise plaoe of the oave or bay), and Wainui (much water), which is also a stream running into Burial Bay, the Maori name of which is Taka-po (dark sunset), or. it may bo Takapu (the belly), where there was a Kaika, High water in Massacre Hay ait full and change is at 9hr 50min. Tides rise 14ft. A place a little west of Separation Pofet is Whawha-rangi (to feel the sky with the hand). Either Separation Point or a place very close to it was Whana-whana, which was the name of a fairy chief often imentiomed in incantations by the skilled Tol'jun.gas." Separation Point is 46 miles from Nelson. The Maoris told Mr James Mackay, surveyor, that in the days long past a ship came to Whana-whana. It ia supposed to hlavo been Tasman's (J. P. S. x., p. 104). Separation Point was named by _ D'Urville on January 14, 1827, as it divided Tasman Bay from Massacre Bay. BLIND BAY. Blind Bay was eo named by Captain Cook on March 31, 1770. He wrote:—" Between Cape Stephens and Cape Farewell the shore forme a large, deep bay, the bottom of which we could scarcely see while we were saiiiinlg in a sifcraight line from one cape to the other. There is reason to suppose that the land at the bottom which lies next the sea is low, and therefore not easily to bo distinguished firom it. I have for this reason called it Blind Bay." D'Urville, on January 14, 1827, anohored a short distance south-east of Separation Point. He wrote: " From our anchorage an imposing view extended round us, Two elevated coasts tyDirdeired the bay right to its head; that to the west, which was much nearer, offered to ua agreeable forests and a pleasing verdure. The head of the bay seemed to be occupied by low land, barely visible, doimdnacted in the distance by mountains whibaned by perpetual snow." (Trans. N.Z.1., xL p. 423). South of Separation Point are two little have Ana-taka-pou (to fall off a post in the bay) and Ana pai (a gocii bay), where formerly there was a strong Pa, but being made tapu. was deserted. Seven miles south of Separation Point is Totara-nui (big totaira tree), bay and rivteir. Nearly all the streams on the west of Blind Bay, being tidal, can be entered by boats at high water. The entrance to Totara-nui River is about 40ft wide, tWe deep water channel being between, two rocks, level with the waiter at neap tides; a heavy surf occasioinally beats on them. On the north side of the entrance is a high (granite bluff with scarcely a landing place, and in 1856 was covered with beautiful evergreen trees. On the south of the entrance is a sandy beach, glittering with mrioa There was formerly a Maori Pa oni the south of the river, close to its mouth, with Mara, or cultivated land, along the flat. When I visited it in February, 1856, I resided in the whai'e which had belonged bo the Ra.ngatira, as it, with Sfoveral others less pretentious hubs, were daseirted, but not tapu. It was a very large whiare of one room, neatly lined inside

with manuka bark, the outside carefully tkusntaci on with toetoe reeas. Tliere was neitnen- window nor chimney, though a fireplace was formed on the ground uy a ring and Dearth of stones, in tine centre of the parallelogram, with long walls and tnaiched roof, the maihi, on barge boards at the gable ends being ornamented with carved qurves, etc., and painted red with kokowai. U'lieae was no furnituale or- bedstead, and the rloor was the natural sandy soil, on. which we spread Maori nax mate (tapau; under our blankets. The first; European settler at Totara-nui was Mr Gibbs. Four miles further is Awa-rua (two rivers) liay, , one of the two riviors is called Wai-nui, being the larger of the two, it is the one coming in from the south-wast. At iow water there is a large mud hat, stocked with pipi. South of Abel xioad is Au-awa- | area (one current of iho long stream) ; then Ona-tu-butu, near which is the small island of 'ioiiigpa (south). ScihooiKMss emter Jjititle Awarna River to load wool and produce The aou'tih'-east head of Torrent Bay is To Paka-tea (the white bowl), and a reef south of it Ha.puku (the gropes fish—Oligua gigas). Astrolabe Roadstead was named | atfofceir the ship of the French Admiral, i Dumeuit D'Urvilhe, who visited New Zealand in 1827, and anchored -there on January 16, between Adele Island and the main laud. The Astrolabe corvette was the first ship to enter Blind Bay since Tasroao's visit in 1642. D'Urvilie again came to New Zealand in the same ship in 1840. A litle south, of Astrolabe Roadstead D'Urvilie mentions having walked through a na.fcu.ral arch at a rooky.point 100 paces in length. Thfe tribe of Maoris on the western ocast of Blind Bay was Ngati-tu-maba-kokiri, who were conquered and enej'jaived by the Ngabi-Apa-ki-te-ra-to, who came in their war canoes from Rangitikei, in the North Island, and were the occupiers wlhien D'Urvilie was there. (Trans. N.Z.1., xl.) D'Urvilie anchored his corvette, L'Astro!abo, north-west of Adele Island, on January 16, 1827, and named the anchorage after his ship. He named Torrent Bay on January 19, because he saw three torrents of water discharging into it. A river running into Sandy Bay is O-tu-wheru (the opsin place), and the point of land north of it Miara-bau (windy g-a,rden). A Kaika south of Sandy Bay was Teka-ngawha (cracked stone), generally misspelt Tokangawa A pretty little bay is Kaitoretere (the food drifted, or to ©at a company of travellers), not Kaiteribari, as it is often spelt, Hear whAcifl is the town of Brighton, 24 miles frofm Nelson across Blind Bay. It was at Kaiteretere that the first surveyors j under Mr Frederick Tuckett, by order of Captain Arthur Wakefield, R.N., in Ooto- . bor, 18*1, commenced to lay off a town I site to bo called Nelson. The first immi- ! (Birainbs (all men) for the intended colony of i Nblson, reached Wellington in September, 1841, the vessels being the Arrow. Will I Watch, and Whitby. On' October 2 thlsy I left Wellington for Blind Bay, and anchored jin Astrolabe Roads on the 9bh. The surj vby at Kaitenetere extending along the j shore to the Riwaka. was commenced, while men in boats explored other places in Blind Bay. The present harbour was discovered by Pilot J. S. Cress and a survey cadet, Mr Brown, and it was resolved to change ' thb site. On November 5, 1841, the ships sailed into the harbour of Wakatu, at the south-east, corner of Blind Bay. Dumont D'Urvilie saw Wakatu. Harbour in 1824, and Maoris were living there then. In 1856 .there was the remains of an old Maori Pa at. Kaitereteire, which was known in fightI ing days as Ana-rewa (the elevated cave). White the survey at Kaitoretere was proceeding boats were despatched to ascertain if any port existed. J. S. Gross, with his assistants, discovered the harbour _of • Wakatu, at the south-east corner of Blind i Bay, and reported so favourably of it that j the survey at.Kaiteretere was at once abainI domed and the whole party re-embarked in the Whitby, Will Waitoh, and brig Snow, and sailed into Wakatu Harbour, with Captain J. S. Orosis as pilot. The survey of the present town of Nelson was" immediately commenced. J. S. Cross, who came I out in the Whitby, was the first man to j sttep ashpre. He was appointed pilot. He died at Nelson, January 20, 1882. John j HoJdaway was in the boat with Cross when ! they discovered the harbour. He remained i in the Nelson district until his death in September, 1888, at the age of 81 years. _ Mr A. Mackay, Native Commissioner, in " A Compendium of Official Documents Relating to Native Affairs in the South Island," said:—"A tribe of Maoris, named Pohea, from Wbanganui, settled in the neighbourhood of Whakatu, or Nelson, - where they built a large Pa called Matangiawhoa." Four miles south of Kaiteretere is the river and fertile settlement of Riwaka, , meaning a canoo set up as a sacred mark to ptrtwent people passing. The Maoris bad a great respect for the Tapu; it had ■more iinnuemoe on a community than a troop of policemen an Europeans, and ! gaved the expense of locks and bolts. Thfe : Maoris, however, say that the old name . was Riuiwaka (the bilge or hold, of a canoe, ! or a valley like a canoe's hold). A few j imiles further are the river, town, and rich agricultural district of Motueka, about 18 j rrSftes from Nelson. In 1856 there was a large Maori Kaika of friendly Maoris cl.ocfe , to the town. The name should be spelt ; Mobu-wteka (the corpse, grove, _ or piece of bush of the wood hen) inferring that the bush was small and isolated, but a favourite resort of the wood ban. The river has a long course from the south, as it rises in the Red Hills near the Wairau, north of Top House. It receives & great many trabuteirieis, one of which rises in the St. Arnaud Range, the Motupiko (a curved clump of trees). Another affluent is the Whanga-peka, in which the "h" is often dlrclpped, by spelling it Wam.gapeka), which means " branch river mouth, or branch riveir on one side." It comes from the Whanga-peka Pass, 50 miles in a straight line to the south-westward from the place where it joins the Motueka. A small stream from Mount Campbell on the north is Poko-rcro (ant's brains), but probably it is a corruption of Tlpokororo (the grayling or herring fish). From the south-east is the Orwrvoko (to sharpen the stern of a canoe), the orthography of which is doubtful, and the Wai-whero (red water). The Borough Off Motueka has am. area of 5643 acres. The population in 1906 was 1068. The rates wHre struck oil the capital valuation of £131,934. Same people erroneously think that Motueka should be Motu-ika (fish island). TlJe early Europeans jocularly transposed Motueka into Muddy-wake.