Celebrating te reo in Whakamarino

New gateway signs for Canvastown celebrate the area’s cultural and environmental significance.

The signs feature dramatic photographs of the Pelorus River and Te Hora Marae’s waharoa, with one using the te reo word Whakamarino.

During consultation with iwi and the community, it was discovered Whakamarino was more than just a name for the area.

Ruihana Lewis Smith, kaiwhakahaere Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia Trust, said the translation of Whakamarino was to “make calm”. The area was given the name by Ngāti Kuia ancestors who used the waters for traditional ritual cleansing.

“We are proud that the name of our awa and its environs will be visible in our community on the signs that welcome people as they enter the area,” he said. “I think it's important we bring everyone - locals and visitors alike - on this journey to understand the meaning of our place names so that together we can better understand the history.”

Whakamarino has significant historical meaning to Ngāti Kuia.

Sounds Ward Councillor Barbara Faulls said the discussions about the signs recognised the environment drew people to the area hence its use in the photographs.

“There was a desire to use beautiful images celebrating nature, hence the wording ‘where nature meets community’,” she said. “Working alongside both the Canvastown Community Association and local iwi, Ngāti Kuia, it was agreed that using the te reo name of Whakamarino would be a very positive move.”

The name Canvastown acknowledges the many pitched tents that dotted the area in the 1860s.