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The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today.

“I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki Rūnanga) to Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa | the New Zealand Geographic Board to restore original names and reflect Māori history in the area,” said Eugenie Sage.

“Māori place names now sit alongside well-known and established place names around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō including those of many iconic features along the skyline.

“Restoring traditional Rāpaki place names alongside English place names recognises the history and significance of these places,” said Eugenie Sage.

“The stories behind place names are rich in history – some are ancestral stories for Rāpaki iwi and others are more recent. The dual names provide a link to these stories,” said Eugenie Sage.

One example is The Tors which will now be called Te Moenga-o-Wheke / The Tors.

Te Moenga-o-Wheke tells of Wheke, the son of Te Rakiwhakaputa, a rangatira toa, who would search the surrounding hills of Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō for Ngāti Māmoe refugees.

It is said Wheke had camping places in the hills where he would sleep at night. One of these was named Te Moenga-o-Wheke – the Sleeping Place of Wheke. The hapū at Rāpaki, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, are named after him. Te Moenga-o-Wheke is a name that is well-known with the local hapū of Ngāti Wheke.

The other part of the dual name is The Tors, a descriptive name for wind shaped rocks.

Below is the full list of newly official place names announced today:

Ngā ingoa wāhi e rua mō ētahi wāhi i Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula

Hei tā te Minita mō Toitū Te Whenua i te rangi nei, a Eugenie Sage, e whakarauoratia ana ngā kōrero tuku iho mō Rāpaki i te whakaurunga atu o te reo ki ētahi ingoa mana tekau mā toru i Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula me te takiwā ki Whakaraupō/Lyttelton.

Hei tā Eugenie Sage, “E harikoa ana te ngākau ki te whakamana i ngā tono a Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki Rūnanga) ki Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa | the New Zealand Geographic Board kia whakahokia anō ngā ingoa ake e whakaatatia ai ngā kōrero nehe Māori o te takiwā nei.”

“Kua noho tahi te ingoa wāhi Māori ki te taha o ngā ingoa rongonui i poua atu i te takiwā ki Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour tae atu ki ērā o ētahi tohu whenua nui whakaharahara e rere ana i tōna huapae.

Hei tā Eugenie Sage anō, “Ko te whakahoki ake i ngā ingoa wāhi taketake ake o Rāpaki ki te taha o ngā ingoa wāhi Ingarihi he whakahoki ake i te mana o ngā kōrero o nehe me te hiranga o ēnei wāhi.”

“Kī ana ngā kōrero kei muri o te ingoa wāhi i te kōrero tuku iho nui whakaharahara – ko ētahi he kōrero tūpuna mō ngā iwi o Rāpaki, ko ētahi nō nā noa nei. Ko tā ngā ingoa wāhi e rua he whakaatu i tētahi hononga ki ngā kōrero heke iho nei,” te kī a Eugenie Sage.

Ko tētahi tauira ko The Tors kua kīia ināianei ki Te Moenga-o-Wheke / The Tors.

E kōrero ana Te Moenga-o-Wheke mō Wheke, tama a Te Rakiwhakaputa, tētahi rangatira toa, i rapu haere i ngā puke o Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour mō ngā rerenga o Ngāti Māmoe.

E ai ki te kōrero he puninga ō Wheke i ngā puke, koia nei ana wāhi moe i te pō. Ko te ingoa o tētahi o ngā puninga ko Te Moenga-o-Wheke – the Sleeping Place of Wheke. I tapaina te hapū i Rāpaki, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, ki a ia. He tino rongonui te ingoa o Te Moenga-o-Wheke ki te hapū o Ngāti Wheke.

Ko te tuarua o ngā ingoa wāhi e rua ko The Tors, he ingoa e whakamārama ana i ngā toka e rite ana ki te hau te āhua.

Kei raro iho nei te rārangi katoa o ngā ingoa wāhi mana hou e pānuitia ana i te rangi nei: