New era for the world’s longest place name and its Hawke’s Bay site

A 2006 council touch-up for the sign denoting the Southern Hawke's Bay site of the longest place name in the World. Photo / Warren Buckland.

A sign denoting the longest place name in the world and possibly Hawke’s Bay’s most photographed sign could be replaced early in the New Year as landowners look to a new future for its global significance.

Taumatawhakatangi­hangakoauauotamatea­turipukakapikimaunga­horonukupokaiwhen­uakitanatahu – all 85 letters and known also as Te Taumata for short – is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest place name.

It translates to English as: “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one”.

The sign is owned by the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and is on a verge beside State Highway 52, on small hill south of Porangahau and about 115km south of Napier. It is a popular focus for the cameras of tourists and other visitors.

But the Scott family, which owns the land, proposes to have the sign removed and replaced by a new sign just seconds away on the property, along with parking, rest and toilet facilities so the public can have controlled direct access to the environs of the summit, and the history as told by tīpuna.

Ross Scott told a Waitangi Tribunal hearing in Hastings in 2006 that the name needed to be protected from inappropriate use “or used with our express authority, to ensure we retain any benefit that is available”, which would benefit the whole of the Porangahau area.

Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Alex Walker says there have been long-running issues, in which the council recognises the mana of the site and the Scott whānau as “the hapū-endorsed kaitiaki of The Longest Place Name, the land-owners and the holders of its licensed trademark”.

“For many years the kaitiaki have been clear on their aspirations to tell the full story of their tīpuna, the place, and its name, and as part of this journey are planning to install a new sign on their property this weekend,” she said. “Council fully supports this project and the intent behind it.”

She said the kaitiaki (guardians) have also expressed their desire to see the sign removed in the New Year as they provide more opportunities for the community and visitors to interact with this very special place in a more meaningful way.

“We are excited to see what their new signage and plans look like and will continue to work alongside them as the conversations continue,” she said.

The name is sometimes compared with the 58-lettered Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, a town on the isle of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales, which gets around the issue of not having the longest name in the World by proclaiming to have the longest name for a “settlement”, while also having the longest name in Europe and the UK.

It too is known by shortened names - Llanfairpwll or Llanfair PG.