The Canterbury-Otago Line.

The names of railway stations and other places in the South Island contain many perversions and mis-spellings of the original Maori, and in some cases it is difficult to fix the correct orthography, because the traditions accounting for the name-giving are lost. The following list of names on the Canterbury-Otago lines contains the right spelling and the origins of names as far as they could be ascertained when enquiries were made among the elder Maoris of the Ngai-Tahu tribe, by the writer, many years ago.

Rakaia:

South Island form of rangaia, to arrange in ranks.

Rangitata:

Rangi=sky, or day; tâtâ=near, close; a day of lowering clouds.

Orari:

O=the place or home of; Rari, a personal name.

Temuka:

Corruption of Te Umu-kaha, literally “The oven of strength”; a sacred fire used in certain war-rites.

Arowhenua:

Aro=face, or front; whenua=the land. An ancient Polynesian name transplanted to New Zealand.

Timaru:

Ti=cabbage-tree; maru=shade. Popularly mispronounced with the accent on the “ru.” The syllables should all be given equal values.

Pareora:

Literally as it stands, a defensive act, or charm, a warding off of danger. But it may be a corruption of “Pureora,” a sacred rite performed for the recovery of the sick. There is a mountain of that name in the King Country.

Makikihi:

Ma=stream, branch of a river (contraction of manga); kikihi=murmuring.

Waitaki:

South Island (Ngai-Tahu) form of Waitangi=sounding water, or crying water.

Pukeuri:

Puke=hill; uri=black stone.

Oamaru:

O=food (especially sacred); a=of; Maru, a war-deity of the Maoris. Sacred food set apart as an offering to the god Maru. Should not be pronounced “Ommaroo,” as is the common way, but each vowel should be given its full value.

Waiareka:

Water of sweetness, or Reka's stream.

Totara:

The forest tree podocarpus.

Maheno:

An island; also to unfasten.

Waimotu:

Wai=water or stream; motu=island.

Kartigi:

Corruption of Katiki, the name of the ocean beach near this station, at Moeraki. Ka=nga, the Ngai-Tahu form for the plural article “the”; tiki=carved figures, on posts, etc.

Wairunga:

Wai=water, stream; runga, above or from above.

Tumai:

Tu=stand; moi=this way, or towards the person speaking.

Waikouaiti:

Properly Waikawa-iti, or “Little Waikawa.” Wai=water; kawa, bitter, or salt.

Puketeraki:

Properly Puke-tiraki. Puke=hill; tiraki=lifting sharply skyward.

Waitati:

Properly Wai-tété, water spurting out.

Purakanui:

Properly Purakau-nui. Purakau=pile of timber, also heap or store of weapons of war; nui=large.

Mihiwaka:

Mihi=a poetic greeting, chant of salutation, affection or sorrow: waka=canoe.

Maia:

Brave; a hero.