Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Te Whanganui-a-Tara is the Māori name for Wellington Harbour.[1] The term is also used to refer to the city of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, which lies on the shores of the harbour. Te Whanganui-a-Tara translates as "the great harbour of Tara", named for Tara, a son of Polynesian explorer Whatonga, whose descendants lived in the area.[2]

In Māori tradition, Te Whanganui-a-Tara is said to have been first discovered by Kupe,[2][3] who visited in the 10th century. A number of place names in the area commemorate Kupe, such as Te Tangihanga o Kupe or Te Raranga o Kupe (Barrett Reef), and Te Aroaro o Kupe or Te Ure o Kupe (Steeple Rock).[3] Kupe also named two islands in the harbour, Mākaro (Ward Island) and Matiu (Somes Island).[3] However, it is the rangatira Tara who is remembered in the names of both the city and the first iwi (tribe) to settle there permanently, Ngāi Tara.[4]

Another name for the region is "Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui", which means "the head of Māui’s fish".[5] According to Māori legend, a giant fish was hooked and pulled to the surface by Polynesian navigator Māui and the fish turned into land which became the North Island.[5] The older name is still used in some circumstances for the city or the region, such as in the official Māori name of Victoria University of Wellington, which is Te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui.[6]

Another Māori name for Wellington is Pōneke, a phonetic Māori transliteration of "Port Nick", short for "Port Nicholson".[7]

Legend of Whanganui-a-Tara

According to legend, the harbour of Te Whanganui-a-Tara was created by two taniwha (nature guardian spirits), Whātaitai (or Hataitai) and Ngake. Whataitai lived in the north of the lake where the harbour now is, and was gentle. Ngake, who lived further south, was more violent.[8][9] Ngake could hear the waters of Raukawa Moana (Cook Strait) pounding to the south, and decided to escape the lake to get to it. He went to the north of the lake to build up his speed for the attempt, then headed off rapidly towards the south. Ngake crashed into and through the rocks at Seatoun and headed out into the Strait. This was seen by Whataitai, who tried to follow Ngake out of the new entrance. The water was now running out of the lake, however, and Whataitai became stranded in the shallows. He stayed there for many generations before being lifted high onto the land by a great earthquake. The soul of Whataitai left him in the form of a bird, Te Keo. It flew high above the harbour and wept for the taniwha, whose body was lifted high onto the hills close to the harbour entrance. To this day, Mount Victoria is known to Māori as Tangi Te Keo, "The weeping of Te Keo", and the suburb on the hills immediately below it is named Hataitai.

References
  1. "Whanganui-a-Tara, Te". Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. "Māori history of the Greater Wellington region". www.gw.govt.nz. Greater Wellington Regional Council. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  3. Waitangi Tribunal. (2003). Te Whanganui a Tara me ona takiwa : report on the Wellington District. Wellington, N.Z.: Legislation Direct. p. 17. ISBN 186956264X. OCLC 53261192.
  4. Reid, Darren (10 February 2015). "Muaūpoko - Early history". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  5. Waitangi Tribunal (2003). Te Whanganui a Tara me ona takiwa : report on the Wellington District. Wellington, N.Z.: Legislation Direct. p. 13. ISBN 186956264X. OCLC 53261192.
  6. Wellington, Victoria University of (2016-08-31). "Victoria's Māori name". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  7. "The Streets of my city, Wellington New Zealand" by F. L. Irvine-Smith (1948); digital copy on Wellington City Libraries website. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  8. "He korero mo nga Taniwha o Te Whanganui-Tara". Wellington City Libraries.
  9. Grace, Wiremu. "Ngake and Whātaitai the taniwha of Wellington harbour". New Zealand Ministry of Education.
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