Naming the Camp Hut.

Correspondents every now and again enquire for a suitable Maori name for a country house, or a club and camp whare in the bush. “Something Maori” is always requested. It is desirable to use the original native name of the locality, if it is known and is suitably descriptive or historically interesting. In the absence of the ancient name, an appropriate title can be coined; the Maori tongue lends itself admirably to the sweet-sounding and poetically descriptive place-names. It is necessary to know the place or to have a topographical note about it before deciding on a fitting name.

In the case of an Auckland club which asked for a hut-name, I happened to know the exact place, a beautifully secluded valley at the meeting of two streams on the southern side of the Wairoa Ranges, South Auckland. It is a peaceful nest surrounded by rugged spurs and ranges all densely wooded; in the distance below are green farms.

The names suggested for such a retreat among the hills included the following: Waikohu (misty river); Te Ngahere (the forest); Rua-ruru (owl's nest, cave, hollow tree); Te Hapua (the dell); Te Kohanga (the nest); Awarua (two streams); Whare-huna (hidden house); Waimarie (peaceful); Marino (calm, quiet); Waireka (sweet waters); Korihi-manu (chorus of birds); Waha-o-Tane (voice of the forest-god, the morning song of the birds); Te Wharau (the camp shed); Mohowao (bushmen); Piri-rakau (cling to the forest).

My preference among these, as I explained to my correspondent, was for Waikohu or Te Rua-ruru. The euphony of the names depends, of course, on the right pronunciation.

I give the list I suggested for the sake of the interest to others seeking appropriate names.

By the way, Piri-rakau is the name of an ancient tribe of bushmen in the ranges south of Tauranga; their descendants live there still, in the forest edge. They were so-called because they clung to the forest as their shelter and defence and their chief source of food supplies.

Since I wrote the above the Auckland club referred to has selected Te Hapua from my list as its choice. An excellent name; it is pronounced with the first “a” long.