Notes
This small handbook on understanding Maori place names has been published in association with a Maori Oral History Atlas. The Atlas deals with groups of place names which are linked together in traditional stories and can be recorded on an “oral map” while this booklet suggests how you can set about understanding Maori place names in a systematic way. It is hoped that this booklet will help many New Zealanders, Maori and Pakeha, to understand more fully the magic web of memory that ties a great many Aotearoa place names together. More important, perhaps, is that the books might provide access to an aspect of cultural heritage that we drive past every day without knowing it.Contents
Contents : The Survey Pegs of the Past; why should we bother with Maori Place Names; it won’t always be easy; the names remind us of New Zealand’s older past; before you begin; one last thing before you start; the first thing to do; what does the name mean; the ‘Hawaiki’ names; the pacific roots of Maori Place Names; you must ask more than just ‘what does it mean’; THE NAMES : the descriptive names; beyond your own district; names commemorating Maui; watch out for names with Nga in them; In conclusion; where you should go for more information;Additional Info
Compiled by Te Aue Davis, Tipene O’Regan and John Wilson.
