Wānaka is now a famous ski-town in New Zealand, popular among tourists for its scenery and connection to the Lord of the Rings movies. However, before European settlement, it was known for education.
A new RNZ podcast series, Nau Mai Town, starts today with an episode about Wānaka. The series explores Māori place names, their meanings, and their histories. Host Justine Murray begins this season in Te Waipounamu, celebrating Matariki from Treble Cone, near Wānaka.
Wānaka has had other names. For a long time, it shared its name with a coastal town in Wales. It was first surveyed in 1863 and named Pembroke, after Baron Herbert of Lea, a British politician. But by 1940, the original Māori name was re-used to avoid confusion between the lake and the town.
The name Wānaka might come from a local rangatira (chief) named Anake or Anaka, meaning “the place of Anaka/e.” Some think it sounds similar to Wānaka. Others believe it is part of the local Kai Tahu dialect, where “ng” is replaced by “k”. So Wānaka would be pronounced “wānanga,” meaning a place of learning.
The podcast will reveal more about the stories behind these names and the role of Selwyn Toogood in this history. As the series continues, it will feature other towns like Paihia and Taumarunui, as well as previous episodes on places like Timaru, Tolaga Bay, and Rotorua.
