HARE'S EPISTLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 123, 27 May 1942, Page 5

HARE'S EPISTLE

MORE ABOUT KOHI

MYSTERY OVER PLACE-NAMES

"I have read with much interest Hare Hongi's letter bearing on several of our local Maori placenames, and also your commentary on same," writes a correspondent, Mr. George Graham, of Auckland. He continues: "I do not claim the fullness- of years that Hare brings to his credit as an authority in dealing with the subject of local nomendation. But in striving to arrive at exactitude, I have been careful to seek authoritative Maori opinion. Such aged men as Tuhaere. Makaore. Neho Kepa, and many others, were my informants in such research in past times. "Now, as to the name Kohimarama (correctly interpreted as 'the waning of the moon'). Such veterans as I have mentioned unanimously assured me the correct form of that name is 'Kohi-maramara,' meaning 'Gathering of the remnants,' i.e.." the survivors of internecine warfare. Decimated Tribal Groups "The name has reference to an historic assemblage of decimated tribal groups at a peace-making hakari (festival). Such important gatherings marked epochs of tribal history and were remembered bv such specific names. These names, in time, associated with a locality— became the name of the locality itself —a still more ancient name thus being replaced. "Hare Hongi is quite correct as tO/Kahu being the actual name of the village we now more generallv call Orakei. The full name is Okahumatamomoe, and commemorates an ancient Arawa chief of that name— ff son of the famous Tamatekapua. Kahu dwelt here for some time, hence the name perpetuates his association with the locality. "Orakei itself is the name of an old pa—of which the ancient earthworks are still extant—located on the bluff on the southern side of the entrance to the Purewa (Pourewa) Creek. This place in later times was known as Pukapuka. Rakei (or Rakei-iri-ora) was an East Coast chief who in ancient times made his home at this place. "Coming to the much debated name 'Waitemata,' this name was anciently applied to the inner harbour waters only. The name is derived from the mid-harbour rock marked on all charts (and still so) as Sentinel Rock. Its ancient name was Te Mata (or Ti-mata), an allusion to it being formerly a place of initiation ceremony (uruuruwhenua). i 1 or there, first comers, travelling by canoe, or fishing, came to perform appropriate ceremony (timata) to the local water deities. Territorial Fishing Rights "Te Mata was also a recognised tribal rohe (or boundary mark) between the local tribes in regard to territorial and fishing rights. In an old-time deed of sale, purporting to alienate the whole Tamaki Isthmus, Ti mata is stated in the descriptive as the boundary mark in that direction. "This name, therefore, has no reference to flint or obsidian (mata). All the obsidian formerly used by the Maoris of this district was known to have been obtained by a system of barter (hoko) from the Bay of Plenty district- Hence the name Mata tuhua" applied to obsidian, the main source of supply being Tuhua (Mayor Island). So far as I am aware, obsidian is not found as a local substance in the volcanic formation of these parts. "As to the late respected Mita Taupopoki, he was of the distant Tuhourangi tribe of Rotorua. Not claiming any detailed knowledge of Tamaki history, Mita most probably only suggested possible interpretations for place-names hereabouts. "Unless, however, one has actually an intimate local association—and a knowledge of local historv—it is almost impossible to be definite in the rendering of place-names, as the above example will show. That is true of the nomenclature of all peoples and countries.