Timaru

Timaru is a small town in South Canterbury which has two lesser-known names - Te Maru and Te Tihi o Maru. Justine Murray finds out more.

Timaru in South Canterbury is home to the little blue penguin, a young volcano and picturesque Caroline Bay.

It's also spawned famous people like Mika X and painter Colin McCahon.

But the name of the town has a couple of variations to it, Te Maru is the preferred name of local iwi Kati Huirapa according to Justin Tipa, a cultural advisor and chair of Te Rūnanga o Moeraki.

Another variant Is Te Tihi o Maru a name momentarily used on TV weather reports.

Timaru translates in English as the 'sheltered cabbage tree' or a 'place of shelter.'

Te Tihi o Maru translates as the 'peak of Maru' associated with a local ancestor or a progeny of the Māori god of the ocean, Tangaroa.

Justin Tipa says that while each of these names has its place, the research is thin on the ground.

"The conversations that I've had with various kaumatua over the years, their understanding was that the old name was Te Maru instead of Timaru so there's a slight corruption there, what's less clear is the true meaning of these names and their origins so it's a little bit obscure but we are absolutely sure in who Maru is" he says.

Philip Howe has worked at South Canterbury Museum for thirty-plus years and he is the current Museum Director.

"Māori place names, often the meaning is a little inexact and that reflects a couple of things, it could be the age of the name going back centuries ago and of course here in central South Island you've had changing peoples from Rapuwai, Waitaha, Kati Mamoe and Ngai Tahu"

There's also the familiar story where Europeans heard names and wrote them down according to their dialect and understanding. This was a familiar story for names like Te Kohurau (Kurow) and Tolaga Bay.

Justine Murray finds out more about the two other variations of the name Timaru and a bit about the town's history in this episode

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details