Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the Māori name for a hill, 305 metres (1,000 ft) high, close to Porangahau, south of Waipukurau in southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the Māori name for a hill, 305 metres (1,000 ft) high, close to Porangahau, south of Waipukurau in southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.


Taumata

The name is often shortened to Taumata by the locals for ease of conversation. The New Zealand Geographic Placenames Database, maintained by Land Information New Zealand, records the name as "Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu", a hill. It has gained a measure of fame as it is the longest place-name found in any English-speaking country. It is featured in a Mountain Dew jingle and it is also in the 1979 single "Lone Ranger" by British band Quantum Jump. It is the subject of a 1960 song by the New Zealand balladeer Peter Cape, as well as Hardcore DJ's Darkraver and DJ Vince in the song 'Thunderground'.

Meaning

The name on the sign that marks this hill is "Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu", which translates roughly as The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one. At 85 letters, it has been listed in the Guinness World Records as one of the longest place names in the world.

Other versions

Other forms of the name are longer still: "Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaurehaeaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu" has 92 letters. An even longer version, Taumata-whakatangihanga-koauau-o-Tamatea-haumai-tawhiti-ure-haea-turi-pukaka-piki-maunga-horo-nuku-pokai-whenua-ki-tana-tahu, has 105 letters and means The hill of the flute playing by Tamatea — who was blown hither from afar, had a circumcised penis, grazed his knees climbing mountains, fell on the earth, and encircled the land — to his beloved. (McGrath and Young 2001:130)

Tamatea, explorer of the land

-pōkai-whenua (Tamatea the explorer of the land) was the father of Kahungunu, ancestor of the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi. Mention of Tamatea's explorations of the land occur not only in Ngāti Kahungunu legends, but also in the traditions of iwi from Northland, where he is said to have explored the Hokianga and Kaipara harbours. In traditions from the Bay of Plenty region, he left a son, Ranginui, who is the ancestor of Ngāti Ranginui of Tauranga. Legends from the East Coast of the North Island tell of his explorations in Tūranga-nui (Gisborne), Māhia, Wairoa, Ahuriri (Napier), Heretaunga (near Hastings) and Pōrangahau. He travelled via the Mangakopikopiko River, over the Tītī-o-kura saddle via Pohokura to Lake Taupo. The Ōtamatea River and swamp is named after him. Tamatea is also the name of a place in Napier. Early South Island legends say that Tamatea sailed down the east coast. His canoe was wrecked in the far south, and transformed into Tākitimu mountain range. Tamatea then returned to the North Island, and travelled via the Whanganui River.

See also

  • List of long place names
  • Longest place names in English

References

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
JK
7 March 2015
The longest place name in the world. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu
Load more comments
foursquare.com

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Greenhill Lodge

starting $696

Willowlodge B & B

starting $123

Hawthorne House

starting $171

Thornton Lodge Motel

starting $91

Pohangina Base

starting $14

Millhills Lodge

starting $300

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Splash Planet

Splash Planet is an amusement park and water park located in the city

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mount Ruapehu

Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active stratovolcano at the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mount Ngauruhoe

Mount Ngauruhoe is an active stratovolcano in New Zealand. It is the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Massey Memorial

The Massey Memorial is the mausoleum of New Zealand Prime Minister

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. It

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fort Buckley

The remains of Fort Buckley, in Wellington, New Zealand, overlook the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bridge to Nowhere, New Zealand

The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Beehive (New Zealand)

The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Çamlıca Hill

Çamlıca Hill (Turkish: Çamlıca Tepesi), aka Big Çamlıca Hill (Turk

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Üetliberg

The Üetliberg (also spelled Uetliberg, pronounced Шаблон:IPA in Zür

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Top of Mt. Takao (高尾山頂)

Top of Mt. Takao (高尾山頂) is a tourist attraction, one of the Mountai

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Gellért Hill

Gellért Hill (magyar. Gellért-hegy; Deutsch. Blocksberg; Latina. M

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lysá hora

Lysá hora (Czech pronunciation: ]; Polish: Łysa Góra; German: Lys

See all similar places