Myth and Poetry

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 929, 24 March 1930, Page 10

Myth and Poetry

VALUE OF MAORI PLACE-NAMES (Written for THE SUN St/ LESLIE O. KELLY) 'jF-O the student of ancient Maoridom, name places, in tliemI selves, offer a wide field, for they are in the majority of cases descriptive of the exploits of New Zealand s earlv inhabitants. Clothed in myth and poetry many of these names date back to the earliest times when Kupe, that great Polynesian navigator, braved the Great Ocean of Kiwa and discovered this land. The isthmus of Auckland abounds in name value.

Toi and his later coming friends of the Fleet period contributed their share, and the place names bestowed by these people present a history in themselves. Some are descriptive of the locality, hut most refer to some historical incident. In the course of time many a name became abbreviated, and still more so after the advent of the European, until now little of the original meaning remains. In spite of the large number of European names bestowed in and around Auckland, many of the native names still persist, and, although many are misspelt, are interesting in the little tales attached to them. It w.as an old established citstom for a chief to take possession of a new land by naming a portion of it after some part of his body. Thus, when the Tainui canoe was sailing into the Waitemata, Horoiwi took possession of St. Heliers Bay point by naming it Te Pane-o-Horiwi, after his head. The Maori, like the European, also brought names belonging to his homeland and bestowed them to remind him of far-distant Hawaiki. Mount Smart was called Rarotonga, and Motutapu was named. They were places In the Pacific at which the Maoris touched on their way. On the arrival of Tainui at Kawhia, Hoturoa had a sacred altar erected. It was called Ahurei, after a place in Hawaiki, and it is interesting, to note that the place from which Tainui sailed is known in Tahiti as Te Fana-i-Ahurai (in Maori Te Whanga-i-Ahurai). In some cases places were named after people of note. Otahuhu is an example. Tahuhu is said to have been an early Immigrant who settled at Mount Richmond, and gave his name to the district. The letter “o” generally signifies “the place of." Many myths brought here from Tawhlti have become localised, with the result that some names pertaining to the heroes of these stories have been given to various places in the land. Perhaps the most noteworthy person thus perpetuated Is Maui, the Polynesian demi-god. Maui, says the Maori, fished up the North Island from the ocean, and so it bears the name Te Ika-a-Maul, the fish of Maul. Another such hero was Mataoho, a fabulous giant whose footprints, called Nga-tapuwae-a-Mataoho, are still to be seen in the form of lagoons near Ihumatao. The crater of Blount Eden was his food basin, and is still called Te Kopu-kai-a-Mataoho. LAND VALUE TOLD Te Ti-tutahi tells us that at one time a solitary cabbage-tree grew at Newmarket. Puke-kawa tells us that the soil near the War Blemorial Museum was sour and would not grow kumara. From Nga-maara-a-Tahuri, or Tahuri’s cultivations, we gather that about the year 1750 Tahuri had extensive cultivations in the vicinity of One Tree Hill. Warfare, quarrels, love affairs, even trivial incidents, have all left In their wake countless place names steeped in history. With the conquered vanished their history and many of their

place names, for the invaders gave no thought to the doings of the former inhabitants. Frequently, names which really applied to battles were, after the lapse of time, given to the actual place where the engagement took place, and after a further lapse of time, to the surrounding districts as well. One such name was Rarotonga, which, although not actually the name of a battle, was given to Mount Smart by the Tainui immigrants, and, in later years, the whole foreshore from near Penrose to Onehunga was so called. Te Aratopuni, another name for Blangere Bfountain, is another battle name thus applied. During the invasion of the Auckland Isthmus by the Ngati-Whatua, the local people fled to the pa at Mangere, where they further protected themselves by casting sea-shells on the paths about the pa, hoping In this way to hear the footsteps of the enemy. Ngati-Whatua were equal to the occasion, for they spread their “topuni,” or dog-skin garments, over the shells, and entered the pa unheard. The name given this event was - s Te Ara-topuni, or the path of dog-skin garments. MURDER OF CHIEFTAINESS Remu-wera, now misspelt Remuera, is a wartime name. At the time when the pa on Mount Eden was at Its prime, a party of Hauraki people came on a visit but, on their return to the Tamaki River, where they had left their canoes, they were ambushed. Among the slain was a young chieftainess, whos.e body was conveyed to the vicinity of Blount Hobson, near the Great South Road, where it was consigned to the oven, withe the skirt attached. On the opening of the hangi (oven) the “remu” or edge of the skirt, was found to have been burnt, and the spot was therefore called Remu-wera. About 1680 the Auckland' Isthmus was subject to an invasion by the Northern Ngati-Whatua tribe, under their chief Kawharu. Ngati-Whatua attacked the pa on Point Britomart, the survivors having to leap for their lives, hence the name of that headland, Te Rerenga-ora-iti, the leap of the survivors. In the vicinity of the Auckland Hospital a battle wAs fought with the local people. It was called Toki-whati-nui, axe badly chipped. Kawharu attacked the pa on Mount Wellington, but the people were too vigilant. He managed to surprise some people warming themselves in the sun near the foot of the pa. Mount Wellington was called Maungarei, watchful mountain, and the flat nearby Mau-inaina, or, caught basking in the sun. So frequent were the battles fought for the possession of the rich lands of Tamaki that the Isthmus was likened to a girl with many suitors, and was called Tamaki-makau-rau, Tamaki of the many lovers. The nomenclature of the Blaorl was an Important feature of his daily life. Having no written records, it served as a guide to the Blaori’s history and genealogy, and preserved in his memory tribli boundaries.