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Monday, May 27, 2013

Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu, the longest name of a place in the world





Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu is a very long name, and infact the Māori name for a 305 metres high hill, in southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Even the locals can't prononunce it, so they often shorten the name to Taumata, to make life easier.

The 85 words "Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­pokai­whenua­ki­tana­tahu" is the longest place name found in any English-speaking country, and it is the second-longest place name in the world, according to Wises New Zealand Guide.

"Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu" translates roughly 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".

Goodness me.

So next time you climb atop
Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu hill, then you know how to celebrate!!

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