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Heels 1969

Tauwharenikau

page 17

Tauwharenikau

Trampers suffering from a lack of reading material turn to log books. Those who indulged in this sport in A.D. must have been puzzled by the various spellings of the body of water which flows by in this region.

A little research into this matter brought some amazing results.

To begin at the beginning, where all good things start. It has been reported that a certain native, named Hau, was travelling in the Wairarapa, when he discovered a whare. The walls and roof of this whare were thatched with nikau leaves and hence the name Tauwharenikau, or the overhanging palms, has been affixed to certain objects in this area.

A look at older editions of Tararua maps will show this spelling, Tauwharenikau, but today the favoured form is Tauherenikau. However a glance at the A.D. log book, shows that the anglicisation of this word appears not to have stopped; if certain people have their way.

Here follows a list of spelling to be found over a period of less than one year. Each spelling had to be entered more than once to qualify for the list.

Tauwharenikau Taurenikau Teherinikau
Tauherenikau Taueninkau Tarherenikau
Tauherinikau Tawrenikau Teranekau
Tauherinekau Tauranikau Terinikau
Tauhenikau Terunike Tirineuku
Tauhranikau Tearinikau Tauheanikau
Terenikau Teurinikau Taurherenikau
Teherenikau Tau Tauheranikau
Terenekau
and the ultimate:- Terrykneecow.

N.B. It's all the way with A's in Allaway.