Paraparaumu is a beautiful town on the Kāpiti Coast so why would you want to call the town 'Pram'? Justine Murray finds out the story behind the name.
'Pram' and 'Paraparam' are two abbreviations of a Kāpiti coast that have stuck.
The proper name of the town - Paraparaumu - refers to an event that happened over 200 years ago.
As significant as the official name is, cultural advisor Kahu Ropata says the town's nicknames were just what everyone used when he was younger.
"Oh yeah, we're off to Pram' or 'we're off to Pram-Pram for the day'. It wasn't until later on in life when I realised the significance of the name and how it recalls some major events in New Zealand's history."
It's a similar story for Kapiti Island Nature Tours operator John Barrett who has lived in and around the Kāpiti Coast for 70 years.
He says names like 'Paraparam' are from a "bygone" era.
"I don't hear it quite so much now as we used to...it was a bit more of a colonial-era sound, I'm just hearing less and less of it... my old people it always came out Paraparaumu."
The name 'Paraparaumu' references an event that took place during 1819 - 1820 when the Northland-based iwi Nga Puhi and Ngāti Toa from Kāwhia, travelled down from the west coast of the North Island to the Cook Strait known as Te amiowhenua tuatahi (the first expedition).
It was an early foray of the Musket Wars, and Ngati Toa Rangatira Te Rauparaha and his nephew Te Rangihaeata were part of the taua (war party).
During their travels, alliances were made but blood was spilt along the way.
When the war parties arrived at the Kāpiti Coast, famished, they found nothing of substance. According to Kahu Ropata, this inspired the town's name.
"It is a name that is quite synonymous for our area...'parapara' is a word we use to describe waste or food waste...and 'umu' are the earth ovens they were cooked in... It reminds us of that event."
Kahu, who is a former Māori language teacher, encourages people to learn the significance of the name and its story and pronunciation.
"I don't really mind it they can't pronounce, at least they're trying especially our non-Māori, so I have a lot of time for that. It's when they carry on using the barbarisms like Pram -Pram... I've been a teacher of te reo Māori for a long time so I understand that language learning isn't that easy even for our own people... as long as they try and say Paraparaumu."
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.