HARE'S EPISTLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1942, Page 3

HARE'S EPISTLE

ABOUT KOHIMARAMA

A LEAF FROM THE PAST

Firmly signed, yet with something indicating weight of years in the pencilled signature, "Hare Hongi," a revealing leaf from the past history of the Auckland suburb of Kohimarama has come into the hands of a Kohimarama resident. It came from Wellington, where Hare Hongi dwells in the autumn of his life, but yet sees sharply in his mind's eye the Kohimarama he knew half a centurv ago. In the autumn this leaf has fallen from his hand, and it has blown on the wind from Wellington. Clearly of historical value entitling it to immediate public notice by its bearing on the significance of Auckand place-names. Hare's epistle also has sharp implications as to neglected mines of information on the origin of our place-names in general. Yet more. The recipient, also a New Zealander, though from a different. race root, revelled in the written form and phrase. Deeming it a classic, fit to be ranked as a parallel in print with the famous Gold : ~ heads as a clear-cut picture -of old Maori characteristics, such as expressive imagery, dignitv'in direct Maori logic and debate, he entreated publication— c:esp:tc newsprint shortage. The "Waning Moon" Hare writes:— ' Ehoa: tena koe. I am in receipt of your communication in which vou ask me for my interpretation of'the Maori term Kohimarama. You proceed by stating that—gives as the interpretation, which he got from the Arawa man Mita Taupopoki, Gathering Pipis by Moonlight.' This is a rather silly misuse of language for neither 'gathering' nor Moonlight is justified by the text, and as for pipis,' well, they are neither shown in nor are they indicated by the text. "Most Maori place-names are descriptive. Kohi Marama is a descriptive name, the literal meaning -of which is 'Waning Moon.' No doubt you would at once realise that it would be impossible to wrest 'Gathering Pipis by Moonlight' from those words. Marama is the name for the moon, but it is not the name for moonlight, which is Atarau. as in He Po Atarau, a moonlight night. Historical Interlude "I have already stated that KohiMarama is a descriptive name, and it arose in this way. In far back years the north-eastern end of Okahu Bav (not Orakei, which has been forced upon it) terminated in a rather narrow point. Around that point the tidal rush whirled, and bit into that point, and finally succeeded in severing it from the mainland. Then as a tiny islet it stood the tidal assaults for manv .\ears, 33 years to my knowledge. Each year it was growing smaller and smaller by degrees, and beautifully less. So it was that our ancients likened the reduction of the islet to the waning of the moon, and gave it that name—Kohimarama (waning as does the moon). In my mind I can still visualise it, that end of the bav being composed of a low, rather steep, cliff adorned with pohutukawa trees, and all rocks below highwater mark. "And so the Maori name for that wasting disease, consumption. Mate Kohi he termed it, for the afflicted one faded away as does the moon. . 'I have already stated that O-Rakei is not the name of our little village bay. O-Rakei is the name of that pretty little intake a mile or so southward, which was bridged in early years. And as the name in pakeha days was transported to O-Kahu, so it appears that the name KohiMarama has been transported from that little islet, not a trace of which is now to be seen, to a place some mile or so to the east. "Mita, apparently, was not onlv ignorant of the true meaning of the term Kohi-Marama, but he knew nothing of that little islet which for many years waned away. Name of "Our Harbour" "Unfortunately there is a tendencv on the part of those who are supposed to know, but who do not know, the precise meaning of Maori terms to give the inquirer wrong information, thus to cover up their own lack of knowledge. A very reprehensible thing to do, but many instances have been brought before me. For instance Wai-te-Mata has been interpreted to mean 'Sparkling Water.' whereas there is no trace of 'sparkling' in the name. 'Mata' is the name for volcanic glass or obsidian, familiarly lava. In ancient when each of those mounts round about Auckland were active volcanoes, they belched forth quantities of it into the harbour. And so Wai-te-Mata, the obsidian water. But enough. I have answered your query about Kohi-Marama. and will now close. Kia ora tena koe."