KOE KOE Ā
Names connect people with place
Manager, Manaaki, shares the stories behind the names of some of the Wakatū subdivisions and streets.
‘As kaitiaki of our whenua and
the heke (great migration),
place names can disappear from
our legacy, a lot of care goes into
Tana Pukekōhatu was a chief of
use and, as a result, history and
the naming of our subdivisions
Ngāti Rārua, and the leader of a
stories of tangata whenua, the
and their street names. It is
Motueka-based hapū called Ngāti
people of the land, can be lost.
important to us to keep the old
Pareteata.
All of these names ensure that
names alive, to ensure they are
‘This hapū emphasises the
the footsteps of our families
not lost and they continue to
relationship between Ngāti
continue to resonate throughout
be part of the living landscape.
Rārua and Te Ātiawa. Many of the
Te Tauihu.
Reclaiming the original names is
people associated with Wakatū
about honouring the past.’
today have Tana Pukekōhatu as
Pukekōhatu was a connector,
their tūpuna,’ Rōpata says.
between the North and South
Puketūtū, a subdivision near Port Motueka, is the traditional
Other names associated with
‘In his lifetime, Tana
islands, between Tasman and
Māori name for the area, and
Tana Pukekōhatu are woven
Marlborough, between iwi, and
for the pā site which was on
through nearby streets. His son,
between Māori and the new
beachfront land near present-
Kerei Pukekōhatu, is recognised
Pākehā settlers of the late 1800s.
day Trewavas Street. Puketūtū
in the naming of both Kerei and
Naming one of our prominent
translates to ‘hill of the tutu tree’.
Grey streets. Rore Street is named
subdivisions after him ensures an
The native tutu tree, often found
after another son, Rore. Close
ongoing connection to the deep
in coastal areas, is notorious for
by, Paretōna Street is named
history of our lands,’ Rōpata says.
being highly poisonous, but the
after another hapū which Tana
carefully strained juice of the
Pukekōhatu led. Paretōna hapū
berries was used in rongoā Māori.
was based over in the Wairau and
‘Puketūtū reflects one of
emphasises the links between
the Māori naming traditions
Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Toa
that is focused on the land
Rangitira.
form – the mountain, the river,
‘And it’s not just people from
the lake. Other times, names
our early history we recognise.
commemorate an event or an
Another, Kuini Street, is
activity that took place at that
named after our beloved aunty,
location. There is also a tradition
Kuini Kātene (née Rōpata).
of recognising significant
Kuini Kātene lived all her life
people, which is the case for
on the lands just near to this
another Motueka subdivision,
subdivision.’
Tana Pukekōhatu. One of the original chiefs associated with
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Rōpata Taylor, General
‘One of the impacts of colonisation is that traditional
