Opua - The story behind Opua's name
Author: Florence Keene Publisher: Northlander Date: 19th Century
Most Maori place names have their origin in some incident that happened to a tribe or to something relating to their history. The names of places adjacent to Pumuka's pa are no exception to this rule. For instance, on Pine Island, easily seen from the pa, a sick man was left to die by his family who considered his recovery hopeless.
Pumuka rescued the dying man and with great difficulty transported him to his pa, where he fed the man and eventually restored him to good health again. To remind his descendants of how the sick man was saved by being given food, Pumuka called the deep stretch of water where the railway bridge is today, "Whangai", which means 'to feed'. Later the name was changed to 'Whangae", which means a stretch of water difficult to cross.
The name of Opua also owes its origin to this difficult crossing. Many years ago, a warrior set out to walk from Opononi on the west coast to explore the shores of the east coast. After travelling over very difficult country, he reached Rawhiti, which is situated between the two mountain ranges, Whiria and Rakaumangamanga.
Here he stayed for a while, and then trudged on until he came to a place called Otau. By this time the food he was carrying was beginning to deteriorate so he made a fire and prepared a hangi in which to cook the food so that it would keep for the remainder of his journey. When the food was cooked, he put it on his back and travelled towards the place now known as Opua, until he came to the deep stretch of water at Whangae.
This posed a problem for him because he did not want to get his precious food wet. Looking about him the warrior saw some kawakawa trees so he plucked a number of the leaves, wrapped his food in them and bound them securely.
In this way he was able to cross the deep water and yet keep his food dry. Now, when leaves are still on the tree they are called "He rau rakau", but when plucked, they are known as "pua pua".
"Food" in Maori is usually "kai", but provisions for a journey are called "O". And so through this incident, the words were combined and the name "Opua" was given to that area round the pa of Pumuka.
From: Tai Tokerau, by Florence Keene
Source: Northland Room, Whangarei Central Library
Pumuka rescued the dying man and with great difficulty transported him to his pa, where he fed the man and eventually restored him to good health again. To remind his descendants of how the sick man was saved by being given food, Pumuka called the deep stretch of water where the railway bridge is today, "Whangai", which means 'to feed'. Later the name was changed to 'Whangae", which means a stretch of water difficult to cross.
The name of Opua also owes its origin to this difficult crossing. Many years ago, a warrior set out to walk from Opononi on the west coast to explore the shores of the east coast. After travelling over very difficult country, he reached Rawhiti, which is situated between the two mountain ranges, Whiria and Rakaumangamanga.
Here he stayed for a while, and then trudged on until he came to a place called Otau. By this time the food he was carrying was beginning to deteriorate so he made a fire and prepared a hangi in which to cook the food so that it would keep for the remainder of his journey. When the food was cooked, he put it on his back and travelled towards the place now known as Opua, until he came to the deep stretch of water at Whangae.
This posed a problem for him because he did not want to get his precious food wet. Looking about him the warrior saw some kawakawa trees so he plucked a number of the leaves, wrapped his food in them and bound them securely.
In this way he was able to cross the deep water and yet keep his food dry. Now, when leaves are still on the tree they are called "He rau rakau", but when plucked, they are known as "pua pua".
"Food" in Maori is usually "kai", but provisions for a journey are called "O". And so through this incident, the words were combined and the name "Opua" was given to that area round the pa of Pumuka.
From: Tai Tokerau, by Florence Keene
Source: Northland Room, Whangarei Central Library
Opua Harbour - Credit: Blue Orb
3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."