Return to Maori names hailed

By RENEE KIRIONA

A move to change more than 100 place names in Rotorua back to their original Maori titles has been dubbed a milestone by a prominent historian.

Rotorua historian Don Stafford, who has lived among the Arawa people for more than 50 years, welcomed a move outlined in the Arawa Deed of Settlement which would also see the tribe gain title to the bed of 13 lakes.

"Some of the non-Maori names are ridiculous because they do nothing to explain the history of those places. Take Mission Bay, for example. There was never a mission there. The original Maori names are much better because they all relate to the old legends of those areas."

However, he was unsure about Te Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe - the original name for Lake Rotorua.

"I think a lot of people will have trouble saying it properly."

The New Zealand Geographic Board, which considers changes to place names, has given the move its support. The board's secretary, Wendy Shaw, said two of its representatives had met the Te Arawa Maori Trust Board in September.

"They spent a whole day talking with the elders there about what the names meant, the history, their correct spelling and other relevant matters. Our position is that we support the tribe's plan to revert back to the original Maori names."

The board's members were Dr Don Grant, Professor Dame Evelyn Stokes, Sylvia Allan, Brian McLay, Dr Sir Tipene O'Regan, Professor Wharehuia Milroy and John Wheeler.

Te Arawa elder Joe Malcolm, who over the years has advocated recognition of Maori place names, said the change was long overdue.

"When you take the name away, you take the history away, so this is a restoration of our culture. It's a milestone."

Before the name changes take effect, the deed has to be ratified by iwi members. This is expected to take place over the next month.

Some of the sites to undergo name changes are Te Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe (Lake Rotorua), Waerenga (Mission Bay), Waikawau (Hannah's Bay), Waingaehe (Holden's Bay), Te Moana i kaitaina a Te Rangitakaroro (Lake Okataina), Tikitapu (Lake Tikitapu), Ngamimiro Bay (Kennedy Bay at Lake Rotoehu), Paremata Bay (Parimata Bay at Lake Okataina) and Te Pohue Bay (Pohue Bay at Lake Rotorua).

A number of the Rotorua lakes were named by Ihenga - a grandson of the captain of the Arawa canoe Tamatekapua. He named Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe in honour of his father-in-law and uncle, Kahumatamomoe.

"Rotorua nui" refers to the large basin-like lake.

The name Okataina means the lake of laughter, and is a shortened form of Te Moana-i-Katainaa- Te Rangitakaroro, which means the lake where Te Rangitakaroro laughed.

The name and its meaning relate to an incident where Chief Te Rangitakaroro and his warriors were resting on what is now a submerged rock. It is said that one of the warriors referred to the lake as an ocean and this was seen as a great joke by the rest of the group.