SPELLING OF NAMES (MLC)

Toitu te Mana Maori

This was taken from our Mana Whenua Report 2009... As stated above, Native Land Court minute books have been the principal primary source for this project. Many of the whakapapa presented throughout this report have been sourced from the evidence given by Ngai Tamanuhiri claimants, as recorded in the minute book. However, the written record contained within the minute books is the evidence as transcribed by the court clerk. The minute books contain many different spellings of the names of hapu, individuals and places. In addition, there are wide variations in the use of hyphens.

When writing research reports, CFRT usually requires that the normal academic practise of quoting the evidence as written is followed. Thus, names are usually quoted as they were spelt in the minute book, even if that is not in accordance with the commonly accepted spelling.

In the case of this report, the Ngai Tamanuhiri Whanui Trust have requested that previous spelling errors made by others should not continue to be reproduced. While the writers of the minute books may not have been certain as to how to spell a name spoken by a witness, the witnesses themselves knew who they were referring to. We have therefore agreed that where names have obviously been mis-spelt in the minute book, that the preferred spelling will be used in this report. Any changes made in quotations or whakapapa are therefore noted in the footnotes. We have followed the direction of Ngai Tamanuhiri Whanui Trust as to the correct spellings, and Warren Pohatu has been our guide in correcting the mistakes of others. 

written by Heather Kay