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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 1 (May 1, 1932.)

Old “Kitty-Maria.”

Old “Kitty-Maria.”

A radio-auntie, reading out children's birthday greetings the other evening, came upon the Taranaki place-name Ketemarae, which she thought was a queer old name and so like “Kitty Maria.” That is exactly what the early settlers in that part of the country called it half a century or so ago. It was near enough for them, and everyone, even the Maoris, knew what was meant when Kitty-Maria was mentioned.

Perhaps a par of explanation may be welcome to those who know not Kete-marae's origin. It is Normanby now; the railway station of that name occupies the site of the village Matariki, which was one of the Ketemarae group of villages. There is still a Maori settlement called Ketemarae, about a mile from the Normanby station. In other days it was a rather famous meeting-place of the tribes, for several tracks of inland travel met here; one was the bush route to New Plymouth by the Whakaahurangi trail, passing a little inland of where Stratford town now stands. The meaning of the name holds a reference to the large gatherings and generous feastings of old. “Kete” is a basket of food; “marae” is the village square or parade ground.