The Longest Place-Name.

An enquirer has asked for “the longest Maori word,” and suggested that the place-name in which the famous Tamatea and his nose-flute are embodied is the one. Such names, of course, are not single words but are coined phrases containing many words. They are numerous in this island, but are seldom given in full; life is too short.

The Tamatea guess is correct. There are several versions of it. The rendering which I think is correct, as given me by the Maoris, is:

Te taumata okiokinga whakatangi-hanga o te koauau a Tamatea-pokai-whenua.

The meaning is: “The hill-top where Tamatea-who-explored-the-land rested and played his nose-flute.”

There is another place-name almost as long in my list; it is not known to any pakeha but myself, I think. It is the meaningful name of the hilly neck of fern land between Lakes Tikitapu and Roto-kakahi, in the Rotorua country; the road to Te Wairoa passes within a few yards of the exact spot: Te tuahu a Tuameke te ahi tapoa i taona ai te manawa o Taiapua.

This being interpreted is as follows:

“The sacred place of Tuameke, the fire of witchcraft incantation in which the heart of Taiapua was cooked.”

You may link these historical place-descriptions together with hyphens, or leave them as I have given them, according to taste. But do not attempt to make one portentous word of them.