Chant far cry from origin

Today marks the start of Te Wiki o te reo Maori (Maori Language Week), with the theme of names. Rotorua Daily Post senior reporter Greg Taipari looks into the significance of Maori names to Te Arawa.

Go to any pohiri in Te Arawa and you are more than likely to hear the chant, Te Arawa E!

During the pohiri for this year's Te Matatini Kapahaka Festival when more than 500 passionate Te Arawa descendants performed the chant - it was spine-tingling.

The way the chant is now used today, to welcome manuhiri (visitors) - is a far cry from what it used to be used for, said Rotorua District Council's kaupapa Maori director Mauriora Kingi.

"That chant, Te Arawa E! Ko te whakaariki ... that particular chant is actually a chant to alert [Te Arawa] that people are coming into that area.

"It was actually a chant before going into battle. That's the actual, traditional background and traditional meaning of it."

Mr Kingi said Te Wiki o te reo Maori had a great theme.

"For us in Te Arawa, names are important because it's an identity ... after the arrival of the Te Arawa waka certain [ancestors] were naming different historical sites ...

"And emphasis and focus should be on those sort of names.

"You know, like Rotorua is Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe; those names are important.

"We abbreviate them for the sake of pronunciation. Our whole district from Maketu to Tongariro have a whole lot of significant sites."

He said this week was a time to remember those sites.

"So that they won't get lost and I applaud those who came up with the theme, Maori place names, Nga ingoa Maori, because it highlights the importance for today's descendants to retain those old names."

Another name which is significant to many Te Arawa is Tama-te-kapua, who captained the waka Te Arawa. His name adorns the supreme wharenui at Te Papaiouru Marae in Rotorua.

"Not all of Te Arawa descend from Tama-te-kapua. The ones in Te Puke, Tapuika and Waitaha, they descend from Tama-te-kapua's uncles.

"But for Tama-te-kapua, he brought the canoe to Aotearoa ... So that is important to us."

Te Wiki o te reo Maori runs until Sunday July 7.