Māori Place Names marking Māori Language Week

Māori Language Week/Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is underway – and Oratia Books is marking the week by publishing the fully revised edition of A.W. Reed’s classic Māori Place Names tomorrow.

This fourth edition gives meanings and origins of over 2300 of the most important and widespread Māori names.

Each day this week we’ll explain one name or feature. Today’s is one of the most common – Wainui.

Wai means water; nui means big. So Wainui means ‘Big river, bay or expanse of water’.