Te Pāpaka-a-Māui

Maori

Etymology

te + pāpaka + a + Māui. Literally means "the paddle crab of Māui", perhaps referring to the continent's shape resembling a crab. The name is also related to the two other names for North Island and South Island of New Zealand, which were related to a folktale about Maui.

Proper noun

Te Pāpaka-a-Māui

1. Australia (A country in Oceania comprising the islands of Australia, Tasmania and other smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as its precursor colony in the British Empire)
2. (geology) Australia (a continent consisting of the islands of Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands)

Synonyms

• Ahitereiria

References

• “Te Pāpaka-a-Māui” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.