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The name Okitiki/Hokitika
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DescriptionRichard Wallace
It is not so much to do with pronunciation as the main problem, was the recorder, who had very little understanding of how to write some maori words, the original name had a quiet "h" sound so if you don't have an ear to the Reo, that could be a problem, secondly the name Hokitika has a (Pu Rakau) Story with it, and means to "Return directly" given following a "Pakanga" (Battle) at Mahinapua, when a surviver of the battle, returned directly via the River, up over the mountain pass to inform Kaiapoi Pa, of the defeat and death of some of the Chiefs, infact their heads were returned there
Long story, this is a shortened version of course. Hokitika is the only correct name. OKITIKI, has no meaning
John Rosanowski
The Maori language was given a written form by Cambridge Linguistics Professor Samuel Lee, when visited by Hongi in 1820. NZ was very lucky to have a distinguished scholar do this task. He rendered the language in a phonetic form so that in general it is easy to pronounce. Two provisos. One is that it was the dialect of Hongi he was working with. The other is that there were some sounds not recognised by English speakers such as the sound he wrote as "Wh." It is said that you form your lips for "W" and breathe out as "H." The "Ng" sound at the start of words does not appear in spoken English but is to be found in the end of words such as "sing." We should all remember, nevertheless, that living languages change over time. For example "au" is now pronounced "oh" whereas in past times it was "ow." The Okitiki thing was an early goldfields mistaken rendering of what diggers thought they heard. Many of them were Englishmen who commonly dropped their "Hs."
It is not so much to do with pronunciation as the main problem, was the recorder, who had very little understanding of how to write some maori words, the original name had a quiet "h" sound so if you don't have an ear to the Reo, that could be a problem, secondly the name Hokitika has a (Pu Rakau) Story with it, and means to "Return directly" given following a "Pakanga" (Battle) at Mahinapua, when a surviver of the battle, returned directly via the River, up over the mountain pass to inform Kaiapoi Pa, of the defeat and death of some of the Chiefs, infact their heads were returned there
Long story, this is a shortened version of course. Hokitika is the only correct name. OKITIKI, has no meaning
John Rosanowski
The Maori language was given a written form by Cambridge Linguistics Professor Samuel Lee, when visited by Hongi in 1820. NZ was very lucky to have a distinguished scholar do this task. He rendered the language in a phonetic form so that in general it is easy to pronounce. Two provisos. One is that it was the dialect of Hongi he was working with. The other is that there were some sounds not recognised by English speakers such as the sound he wrote as "Wh." It is said that you form your lips for "W" and breathe out as "H." The "Ng" sound at the start of words does not appear in spoken English but is to be found in the end of words such as "sing." We should all remember, nevertheless, that living languages change over time. For example "au" is now pronounced "oh" whereas in past times it was "ow." The Okitiki thing was an early goldfields mistaken rendering of what diggers thought they heard. Many of them were Englishmen who commonly dropped their "Hs."
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CommentsTamai Sinclair
The H was dropped back in those days due to the influence of Taranaki tribes from Nelson Blenheim area (Te Tau Ihu) living on the West Coast, so Okitika might be correct if it was written down as the listener heard it. This is why Whataroa is still pronounced Wataroa, Kowhiterangi as Koiterangi, Mawhera as Mawera, Mokihinui as Mokonui, etc.
Ken Duncan
Tamai Sinclair that is mischief making there Cousin. you know that those before already had no H in their pronounciation. the so called influence from Taranaki etc was very very limited. in fact our dialect within Makaawhio is only found in four places in 'NZ' Makaawhio, Oraka Aparima, by the Moriori on the Chathams & Tuhoe
Martin Kahui
Ken Duncan Could it be the Taranaki connection that Te Koeti Turanga and Tuhuru had? Wasn't Mamoe called Ngati Mamoe? Just thinking about Potiki-roa from Taranaki, Tuhuru 1sts father, that's going a long way back, and there's places around Cobden with the old language too, before Ngai Tahu dialect, and old tribes were Ngati ...
Ken Duncan
Martin Kahui Te Koeti Turanga was Mamoe with a little Ngai Tahu ancestry. tuhuru all I knew about him apart from the claims he was the leader of those who came to Tetai poutini was he was following his Missus who was Mamoe & followed our people across. yes taranaki came down but my understanding it was very few people left & in at least one case in south westland it was due to waka capsizing in surf at Maitai where only one or two survived. Ngai Tahu dialect is the ngati porou dialect. as for the ngati etc yes that was how everyone spoke it but now we have th southern dialect taking back over & that is definitely not Ngai Tahu. I know that many Mamoe were never included on the Blue book so these days have no tribal back up same with Waitaha who refused to be the 19th papatipu runanga. there has been a move as I noticed when alternate on tront to basically dismiss many of the 18 runanga & just have 5 so wipe out Mamoe /Waitaha connections. this has all been dealt with & Taranaki have no claims on what is now known as Ngai Tahu Rohe
Moana Biddle
Tamai Sinclair I saw a map recently, that had Kowhitirangi and Koiterangi down as 2 distinct areas from out the valley.. abit like how I could drive from Hokitika, through Kaniere, through Kokatahi then Koiterangi + ending up in the area of Kowhitirangi.
Tamai Sinclair
Moana Biddle Yes in the same village, I think the hall is one name and a memorial is the other. Kokatahi is pronounced locally as Kokata'i shortened to Kokatai, Kowhiterangi would have been Ko'iterangi now pronounced Koiterangi. Another arguable example is Te Waipounamu which is actually Te Wahipounamu, or Te Wa'ipounamu. In fact in South Westland the UNESCO South Westland World Heritage Area is called Te Wahipounamu which reflects the distinct possibility that the H in Te Wahipounamu was dropped by cartographers in the 19th Century influenced by Taranaki Maori living in Wellington at the time.
Ken Duncan
Wellington had nothing to do with south westland. early explorers with their guides could not understand our people initially in south westland & those guides were either from Nelson or likes of Taranaki. they did finally work out & unfortunately I didn't have the cash to buy the book that Maitai meant Mahitahi was one of the examples used. in assistants book. history shows that its actually those who conquor who take up the dialect of locals over time if there long enough . I E the southern dialect now championed by Ngai Tahu is not theirs it is either Waitaha or Kati Mamoe
The H was dropped back in those days due to the influence of Taranaki tribes from Nelson Blenheim area (Te Tau Ihu) living on the West Coast, so Okitika might be correct if it was written down as the listener heard it. This is why Whataroa is still pronounced Wataroa, Kowhiterangi as Koiterangi, Mawhera as Mawera, Mokihinui as Mokonui, etc.
Ken Duncan
Tamai Sinclair that is mischief making there Cousin. you know that those before already had no H in their pronounciation. the so called influence from Taranaki etc was very very limited. in fact our dialect within Makaawhio is only found in four places in 'NZ' Makaawhio, Oraka Aparima, by the Moriori on the Chathams & Tuhoe
Martin Kahui
Ken Duncan Could it be the Taranaki connection that Te Koeti Turanga and Tuhuru had? Wasn't Mamoe called Ngati Mamoe? Just thinking about Potiki-roa from Taranaki, Tuhuru 1sts father, that's going a long way back, and there's places around Cobden with the old language too, before Ngai Tahu dialect, and old tribes were Ngati ...
Ken Duncan
Martin Kahui Te Koeti Turanga was Mamoe with a little Ngai Tahu ancestry. tuhuru all I knew about him apart from the claims he was the leader of those who came to Tetai poutini was he was following his Missus who was Mamoe & followed our people across. yes taranaki came down but my understanding it was very few people left & in at least one case in south westland it was due to waka capsizing in surf at Maitai where only one or two survived. Ngai Tahu dialect is the ngati porou dialect. as for the ngati etc yes that was how everyone spoke it but now we have th southern dialect taking back over & that is definitely not Ngai Tahu. I know that many Mamoe were never included on the Blue book so these days have no tribal back up same with Waitaha who refused to be the 19th papatipu runanga. there has been a move as I noticed when alternate on tront to basically dismiss many of the 18 runanga & just have 5 so wipe out Mamoe /Waitaha connections. this has all been dealt with & Taranaki have no claims on what is now known as Ngai Tahu Rohe
Moana Biddle
Tamai Sinclair I saw a map recently, that had Kowhitirangi and Koiterangi down as 2 distinct areas from out the valley.. abit like how I could drive from Hokitika, through Kaniere, through Kokatahi then Koiterangi + ending up in the area of Kowhitirangi.
Tamai Sinclair
Moana Biddle Yes in the same village, I think the hall is one name and a memorial is the other. Kokatahi is pronounced locally as Kokata'i shortened to Kokatai, Kowhiterangi would have been Ko'iterangi now pronounced Koiterangi. Another arguable example is Te Waipounamu which is actually Te Wahipounamu, or Te Wa'ipounamu. In fact in South Westland the UNESCO South Westland World Heritage Area is called Te Wahipounamu which reflects the distinct possibility that the H in Te Wahipounamu was dropped by cartographers in the 19th Century influenced by Taranaki Maori living in Wellington at the time.
Ken Duncan
Wellington had nothing to do with south westland. early explorers with their guides could not understand our people initially in south westland & those guides were either from Nelson or likes of Taranaki. they did finally work out & unfortunately I didn't have the cash to buy the book that Maitai meant Mahitahi was one of the examples used. in assistants book. history shows that its actually those who conquor who take up the dialect of locals over time if there long enough . I E the southern dialect now championed by Ngai Tahu is not theirs it is either Waitaha or Kati Mamoe
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West Coast New Zealand History (31st Aug 2023). The name Okitiki/Hokitika. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 30th Mar 2026 19:37, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/32710