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Te Ao Hou, 1972, Page 7

The Editor, Te Ao Hou, Dear Madam, Maori Studies students at this University are doing research on the Tawhaki myth as it is recorded for New Zealand and Polynesia. One of the difficulties encountered results from the fact that conventional spelling in most of the languages concerned does not mark vowel length. The correct pronunciation of a number of the most celebrated names in Polynesian mythology is in danger of being lost. Rata, son of Wahieroa according to the Maori story, is sometimes pronounced with long vowels, sometimes with short. We would like the opinion of Te Ao Hou readers on the pronunciation of Rata, Tawhaki (father of Wahieroa), and Hema (father, or as some say, the mother, of Tawhaki). Yours sincerely, Bruce Biggs, Professor of Maori Studies, University of Auckland.