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History
MAORI HISTORY
"These are the old stories given to me by the old people, of the place names and history of our area. I give them to you as a gift. Other whanau may have different versions - one thing I have learnt in my brief life: it takes more than one tree to make a forest."
Arohanui Russell, Te Whanau-a-Materoa, Nga-Uri-a-Whatonga
Eketahuna
Eke = to embark upon, run aground. Tahuna = gravel bank, boulders or stone. Eketahuna is part of the district known as Te Taperenui a Whatonga (the great playground of Whatonga).
The last known village (or camping ground, as some people say) was Te Waiwaka at the southern end of Eketahuna. It was from there that the people travelled on to southern Wairarapa.
And from there to Ihuraua to join with the, then, main highway from Wairarapa to Heretaunga, Mahia and Nukutaurua, the landing place of Kurahaupo and Takitimu canoes. From Ihuraua the people could get to Te Oreore and then to the lakes and Cape Palliser (Matakitaki-a Kupe) and the eastern and southern coastal areas by the river Ruamahanga.
From Ihuraura they could go to Patitapu Nga Puka, Waitawhiti then east to Heretaunga or down to the Alfredton area (Maroa) and to the three or four pa, one of these being Te Hoi Tangihia, the name of the Maroa stream, now in it's new version, Te Hoe.
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From Te Hoi Tangiha they could travel to Tiraumea and Rongomai, to the Kainga of Tu-tae-kara and Te Hawera, now called Hamua.If they went upstream from there along the Makakahi River they would come to O-tu-kirihau at the northern end of Eketahuna. The area between the old bridge and the Newman Reserve was the best place to gather kakahi (fresh water mussels) right up until the 1970's and 80's - if you could beat the pukeko!
Following the Makakahi further south from here you would end up again at Te Waiwaka.
However the sweetest eels were in the Nga-taka-he River. No need for MAF rangers there, that river has it's own ranger! |
Otukirihau Pa site
at right above
Newman Domain
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Te Waiwaka
Te Waiwaka means 'wet canoe'. This referred to the fact that, because of getting in and out of your canoe so much to get there, more water ended up in the canoe than in the river! |
Kaiparoro
Kaiparoro was a loud and violent wind from the ranges, that was followed by heavy rain which usually caused flooding in the Kaiparoro and Rongokokako area. Kai = eat, paroro = the wind.
"Ka hu te paroro, paroro kuri, ka kai, ka waipuke te whenua."
"The howling dog of paroro that eats the land, when you hear the howling dog move to high ground, paroro is hungry."
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Pori
Pori can mean 'family group', but you need to look at the Pori hills for its meaning and full name: Te-Kiri-Pori-a-Papatuanuku (the wrinkled skin of mother earth - Papanuku). |
Hamua
Hamua was originally called Te Hawera, one of the main Rangitane hapu. I was told that, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, this was one of the largest villages with a population of 800, but after the 1918 flu epidemic only 150-200 people were left alive. Then many of the people moved to Dannevirke, Tamaki-a-Rua and Horowhenua. A lot of the land around Hamua and Tu-Tae-Kara is still leased out.
Tu Tae Kara
The full name is Te kara pai o te tu tae maire (the nice smell of the maire juice in the belt). The tu was a belt worn around the waist and containing the sweet scented juice of the maire and titoki.
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Hukanui
Hukanui means 'a lot of foam'. This can especially be seen when the Mangatainoka river is in flood.
Makakahi
Ma = stream, river. Kakahi = fresh water mussel.
Nireaha
Nireaha was named after the paramount chief of Ngati Hamua.
Rongomai
Rongomai is one of the old gods of this area.
Mangamaire
Mangamaire = maire river.
Mangatainoka
Manga = river, tainoka = native broom shrub. |
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Ihuraua
Full name: Te tutakitanga o raua ihu (the meeting place of their noses).
Putara
Full name: Te hau tangi putara (the wind that cries like the trumpet). Putara = trumpet.
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