MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3043, 10 July 1912, Page 38

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

No. XXII.—NAMES IN CANTERBURY. By W. H. Shebwood Roberts, Oamaru. WAIMATE. A Maori kaika and an extensive bush, called Wai-mate, meaning " water ceased to flow," were formerly to be seen at the snot where the borough of Waimate now stands, with ite population of 1637 persons. Xixe area of the borough is 649 acres. The rates in 1905 were struck on the unimproved value of £46,820. . Part of the Studholme Estate, near \\ aimate, is named Uru-tane (uru, the head, the chief, and tane, a male), and Mr Charles fttudholme has a farm in the \\ aihao Valley named Kai-warua, . About three miles and a-half from Waimate there are a school and farming district called Wad-tuna, (eel water). In 1894 a small Government settlement at the head of tlio Waimate Gorge was named Ka-pua <a cloud). . A lagoon seven miles north of W ai-nao, and separated from the sea by a bank of sand, is Te Whakai-a-Kobika, the witchcraft of Kohika. Although so close to the ocean the water is fresh enough to drink. (Mr Smith.—Wai-hao means the stream where the fish were enclosed in a net.) It was at To Whakai-a-Kohika that Bishop Selwvn and Edward Shortland camped for the night on January 16, 1844. The \\ aibao River also takes the name of Stafford. which was given in honour of Edward William Stafford, who was Premier of this colony from 1856 to 1861, from 1865 to 1169, and in 1872. The name of the river is sometimes spelt Waiho, in enor. _ ; Waiho means " to be left." or " to leavo. At the mouth of the Wai-hao there is a sa'twater lagoon, about three miles long separated from the ocean by a bank of grave!, sand, and pebbles. All such lagoons are '• Hapua " in southern Maori. The railway station at Wai-hao is 131 miles from Chmtchurch, and 100 from Dunedin at an altitude of onlv 54ft above sea level _ In 1839 a township was surveyed at V\ aibao. and was named Morvon. An indignant settler wrote to the Oamaru Mail on the subject as follows:—"The only regret generally felt is for the less of the name, Waihao, which is so pleasant to the ear when fuLlv and softly uttered by a gentle Maori; significant, too, of a notable feature of the locality, denoting, as it does, the presence of a particular eel, an especial Tavounte with the ancient gastronomers. Just as our rats and other vermin have exterminated many of our native fauna, fco our senseless vocables aire to supersede the sweet-sounding Maori. ... It has been urged that there are too many Wtu-haos, If a change is absolutely necessary, why not adopt another of the terms used in former times. Near the station there i s a hollow, vaguely called a creek, but known to the Natives as Tewahohonui. (Mr Smith. —This is not Maori, but probably a corruption of the proper name.) Near Pike's Point there is another watercourse barbarously called Dog Kennel Creek, but known to the Maoris as Rotopoko. , . . The preservation of these Maori names is of the highest ethnological interest, to say nothing of the perennial pleasure obtained from their euphonious sound." "It is painfui to reflect that traces'of a language so beautiful in itself as the Maori should be sacrificed to a jargon imposed by an ignorant set of itinerant shepherds, evanescent holders, et hoc genu3 omne." (Oamaru Mail. March 28, 1899.) Rotopoke means dirty lake. Pike's Point was named after the Pike Brothers, who leased a run there from 1855 to 1858 Dog Kennel Creek derived its name from the fact that it was the boundary between two flocks of sheep, and formed a fairly good fence, except at the ford, where the road crossed. To prevent the sheep crossing there a dog was chained to a kennel and left there day and night. The low hills that separate the valley of the Wai-hao from the Waitaki were called Maro-kura, a red girdle. At the eastern foot of this hill, about midway between the Wai-hao and the Waitaki Rivers, was To Umu-a-to Raki-tau-ucke, which means the oven of Mr Move-file-partition-to wards-the-north. Mr Edward Shortland, in his " Southern Districts of New Zealand," says: " We crossed the Waitaki Plain to the base of a range of hills called Maro-kura. Here my attention was directed to a large shallow pit, about which the grass and weeds had not been allowed to grow. It was called To ITmu-a-te Raki taunekc, that is, Rakitauneke's oven, having been an oven where human flesh was roasted. The stones which had formed part of the cooking apparatus still lay scattered around it. Travellers always halt here, believing that it avails much to say a prayer over their feet on this sacred s]K>t, that they mav have vigour for their journey, or, to use their own words, that the earth may not be- drawn out lengthways: ' kia katia e kumea to whenua kia roa.' " This custom was called uruuru-whenua, and was considered necessary to placate the spirits of the land over which the traveller was passing. A kaika near the Waitaki River was Tauhinea. The schoolhouso at Glenavy ha s been named Tawai. which should bo Tawhai (beech tree- —Fagus) The s)K>t where the Waitaki North railway station at Glenavy now stands whs called Tau-l.ii-honu, meaning to sprinkle leaves over with cold water, and a Maori settlement a little west of it was Pa Kapa, Kana being a man's name, and meaning "a row," or "stand in a row." (Mr Smith. —-Tauhi-honu is probably a corrupted name also.) The name of the Wai-kaka-hi Estate means the water of the fresh water mussel, or unio shell-fish. It may bo mentioned that the estate was purchased from Mr Allan M'l/oan by the Government, which after subdividing the 47,320 acres into 130 farms leased them for 999 years on March 20, 1593. The Wai-kakahi (accent on first "a" in kaka) Estate was originally taken up in 1G55 by Samuel and Bayley Pike a.s pastoral runs. * numbered 175, 176, containing 42.500 acres.. Near (ho homestead there was a gully where manuka grew in plenty, which, 'when in blossom, lookefl like silver sparkling in the sun. They, therefore.

;alled tlio station "Silver Sprinjrs." The Government citato at ClarkcsfieJd, up [lie Waitaki, which was purchased from Dr 7. S. Wait, wan named Taki-tu, the name ,f n.n old Maori custom in .honour of visi-

ors, and it may be interpreted " to make a peed) standing." The estate comprises 957-1 !<■!■".-, which were. Leased on March 1, 1900.

Tno Maori name of Elephant Hill was IVna-wa-iki, the distant aide consumed.

(Mr Smith-—This is also probably a corrupled name.) A farm adjoining is Wai-hao-ronga, tho top part of the eel water. (Mr Smith.— Perhaps a. better translation would be the Upper Waihao.) Iu the seventies the Waihaorumra was known by the English name of Pudden Hill. A few of the small streams in the Elephant Hill district still retain their Maori names. Going west from the hill, there is met a stream called Wai-huna, concealed water, and running into it aro the Waihihi, Hissing water, and the Mate-wai, dead water. (Mr Smith. —Mate-wai means thirst; W.ai-mato is dead, or dammed tip water.) Farther west aro Wai-kowhai, water of the tree Sophora; Wai-pari. water flowing, and Nga-tuna. tho eels, the last running into the Waitaki, where it touches the foot of the hills on its north bank.

The Wai-kowhai and the Waipari lese themselves in the shirigle as soon ag they reach the flat. THE WAITAKI DISTRICT.

It is generally understood that Waitaki. tho name of the boundary river between the old provinces of Otago and Canterbury, is the southern pronunciation of Wai-Tangi. meaning " Weeping Wate.r," " Water of Wailing," " Water where the crying was held," or " noisy water." But some people maintain that Waitaki is the correct speliiny. and i s a different word, meaning " Water diverted," the apparent reason being the number of streams into which it divides, forming many islands and gravel banks. When Mr Walter Mantell was Land Commissioner for Otago in the fifties ho tried to change the namo of tho river Waitaki to Shakespeare, but fortunately did not succeed. It is a- large and rapid river, having, with its head tributaries, which bear other names, a length of about 140 miles from the glacier to tho sea. It is seldom fordable, but not deep enough for boating, even war tihe sea. The colour of its water is always milky white, caused by the friction of the glacier at the source of tho Tasinan River over a bed-of pipeclay. The white-coloured water . is brought down through Lake Pukaki. "Tho Maoris," says Mr Shortland, "call this coloured water 'he wai para hoanga,' literally ' water of grinding stone dirt,' as it resembles that caused by rubbing the pounamu on sandstone. The Maoris used to affirm that the sources of the Waitaki were seven lakes —Pukaki, Takapo, To Ka-pua-ruru, Ohou, Ote-toto, Otaua-whiti, and Wh&ka-papa." Only four lakes are now known, the others very likely having been filled up by tho debris brought down by tho mountain torrents.

The four lakes still forming reservoirs for tho Waitaki River arc as follow: —1. Lake O-hou, meaning "the place of the plume '' -or "the residence of Mr Hou" (the force through, or the chasm, in reference to the passage of the water from the lake.—Mr George Graham), which is frequently misspelt Ohau. Tho lake is 12 miles long, and about 2-2 miles broad, the area being 33 square miles, at an altitude of 1723 ft above sea level, with a general depth of 400 ft. Tho river running out of tho lake is also called Ohou, 2. Pukaki (the source of the river, or a. wen). It is 11 miles long by three, broad, with an area of 34 square miles, at ati altitude of 1717 ft. Pukaki is hero named after a chief of early days. Pukaki is pronounced without any accent. 3. Ta-ka-po, "to fall in tho dark." (Mr Smith. —It may also be translated " to dres s at night.") This lake is wrongly spelt " Teltapo." Its length is 15 miles, with a varying breadth of about three miles, covering an area of 32a square miles, at an altitude of 2325 ft, but the debris brought down by tho tributaries is slowly filling it up. The accent is on the first a. (Takapo, " Morion," Kakapo, the ground or night parrot. Takapo was the guardian spirit of this bird.—G.G.) The Nomenclature Committee of tho New Zealand Parliament, 1908, fixed tho namo of Lake Takapo as Taka-Po. Tho fourth Jake, Alexandrina, is a small one, on the west of Lake Taka-po, into which its surplus water escaped. I think that its Maori name is Te-kapua-ruru. (Mr Smith.—Meaning " The sheltering cloud," or, more probably, " the sheltered hollow.")

Goal Cieek Peak, north-east of Lake Takapo, was Whare-raki (dry or north bouse); Fox Peak, 7604 ft high, east of the Takapo Lake, was Otu-paka, probably a mail's name-, which may bo interpreted "standing on a, •dried up place." Mount Hay 3855 ft high, live miles and a-half north-east of tho south end of Lake Tekapo, was named after John Hay, nephew of Ebenezer Hay, "of Pigeon Bay, in 1843. A river running into Lake Ohou was formerly called Wai-ana-karua, "water from two caves. (Mr Smith. —Waianakarua seems to be doubtful in regard to its orthography.) Puke Makarirl (frosty hill) is a mountain 6095 ft high, west of* the Ahuriri River, and a e'hort distance south of Birch wood Heme Station. Another mountain about a mile and a-half south of it is Maunga-tika (straight mountain). Tito land north of Ahuriri, near the river Paai-fcea (white cliff), and north of Longslip Station, was Ka-papa-liori (to pass by tho burning- ])lain) ; and south of it was Whanau Kakino. (Mr Smith. —Ka papa hori is probably Nga-papa-hori, " tho split rocks." Whanaunga-Ki.no, " the evil family," is probably right). Ka is used by the southern Maoris in place- of Ngu, (the).

Tile Lindis River, which runs westward to the Molyneux, was Omakou (the residence of Makou, or good run, or the place of the good stream).

The Long-slip River was Konito, or more likely Kom-oti (end of the slip). The Gala, Otarnatapaio, (Mr Smith.—O-ma-kou, " the place of Makou," possibly intended for the Mako tree. Konito is very unlike a Maori word. 0-tama-paio, ' the placo of Tamapaio.") The Leader River is O-mantrna, with [he aocei.t on the first "a," meaning- "the ptaeo of liifhr.'' or " the brigh.fc place." There was a Maori settlement there from early times, till removed by tho poliee, under Inspector Andrew Thompson in 1330. Tho Rev. A. Ji. Todd visited the kaika at Omarama in 1870. He said; "They had horses and cattle, which they grazed in a fenced field. A Maori who lived there, known to the pakeba as Dick, stated that the old chief officiated as priest and held service in the Maori language every day. Ho was rather suspicious of Europeans, and did not appreciate visits from them." (Outlook, 22/7,05.) Tho kaika was on the bank of the Ahurin River. The chief was known bv his English name of Solomon. There

were about 100 souls, men women and children, and they had over that number of clous, which frequently harassed the runholders' sheep, for which reason the mana-

ger applied to the police to remove them. Tho Maoris wora well supplied with flour,

potatoes, etc., and caught eels and wcka. Tho police, well armed, went to the kaika, and asked the chief to remove to the reserve at the mouth of tho Waitaki River. Ho demurredi, and asked for time. Inspector Thompson granted them three days to prepare for removal. At the end of that time the Maoris all came out of the kahiga, with stock and baggage, in a long procession, in their gigs, dogcarts, waggons, carts, on horseback, and a few on foot, silently and sullenly marched past tho few armed troopers, and peacefully travelled a distance of three miles, when they camped for the night. A clump of willow trees wa s afterwards planted where tho troopers 6tood, close to the site of the kainga, bv D. Gordon .M'Donald, of Dunedin, to mark the spot where the last body of pakehas, armed against Maoris in the Middle Island, took their stand. The firmness of the inspector had the desired elfect, and those Maoris gave no further trouble. Glen Creek is a brook which flows into tho Aiturin a short distanoo west of tho Omarama Hotel.

Ahuriri means " a help or spit of shingle " (piling up. or swelling up, in an angry or quarrelsome manner, in reference to tho How of the river.—G. G.) It is the name of the main river and plain north of the Omarama. The river dischargee into tho Waitaki.

Tho country east of Omarama was Maka-hi-pua. (Mr Smith. —Maka-hi, "a wedge," pua, " a flower," also the name of a shrub.) A LEGEND OF "THE FIRST FISH." Mr Smith relates a legend about Omarama, which was told him by the southern Maoris. "In former times," ho says, " a tribe named Ngati-Rakai occupied the inland part s of tno Waitaki, around Hawea, etc., where they were joined by the Pa tea people, who owned the country of that name, which includes Lako3 Hawea and Wanaka, and is said to have been named in remembrance of Patea 6n the west coast of the North Island, from which place, tradition savs, tho people of that part came originally- Ngati-Rakai were so called because they were vain, and constantly adorning themselves,' combing (rakai) their hair. "These Patea people are said to have" belonged to Te Uri-o-Toi, or of Toi, the ancestors of the aborigines of New Zealand, that is, tho old tribes of Polynesians, being here before the arrival of the fleet of canoe 6; about 1350. Consequently, thesa people were akin to the Morioris of the Chatham Islands. Ngati-Rakai belonged to the Ngati-Tahu, the conquerors from-the east coast of tho North Island. '• During the long period when tho northern tribes were engaged in driving out the Ngati-Mainoe tribe, the Ngati-Rakai people followed up a party of them who wore retreating by way of the head waters of the Waitaki. In the course of this foray, Ngati-Rakai had arrived at Omarama, and from there saw the retreating Ngati-Mamoe, •who had reached two landslips inland of Omarama, and would soon effect their escape into the mountain. " Two teas or braves, the swiftest runnora of tho pursuers, named Te Para-kiore and Mu, seeing a chance of distinguishing themselves, darted off in pursuit, to ascertain who could reach tho enemy fust, each making for ono of tho landslips where Ngati-Mamoe were. To Para-kiore reached the right-hand slip first, and dashing into the Ngati-Mamoe camp, killed a man with a blow of his mere, shouting out the usual cry on such an occasion, 'Te parahi naku te' ika i to ate !" (' I havo killed the first fish,' (victim). Mu followed immediately after, and succeeded in killing another of the enemy, shouting out, ' Te parahi naku to ika whakawaka,' ' I have 'killed the second fish.' Then Ngati-Mamoe scattered, and the two toas returned to their own people. *' On another occasion, still in pursuit of Ngati-Mamoe, Mu, who killed the second fish, as related above, was in chase of the Ngati-Mamoo chief, Te Tu-makohu, and his young wife. Seeing that Mu was gaining, and the woman's strength failing, Tumakohu, by the aid of his powerful incantations (karakui). caused the mists and fogs suddenly to descend and envelop both pursued and pursuer. " But Mu followed quickly on, and was heard by the fugitives approaching. Said Tu-makohu, ' Who is this that follows me?' Mu shouted out. through the mist, ' 'Tis me, Mu, the descendant of Kiriwekeweke.' ' O,' replied Tu-makohu, 'then thou art a slave relative of mine Thou slta.lt. not have thy run in vain.. Here is tho gill, Kiri, kill her 1'

" Foor Kiri was exliausted and could travel no further, and Tu-makolm felt that by sacrificing her he might escape, which ho did, whilst Mu cut up the unfortunate woman.

"The Ngati-Rakai wore all distinguished as being curly-haired people; none of them liad straight hair. Home of the <-lescondants of this tribe still exist at Waitaki, as do those of Tu-makohu further south, Mr T. Parata, M.L.C., being ono of~thcm."