Some place names roll off the tongue. Others take a deep breath and some practice. And then there's a hill in New Zealand whose name is so long that it barely fits on a sign.
Here's the short answer. The hill is called Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. That's 85 letters long. It sits near the small community of Pōrangahau in southern Hawke's Bay, on New Zealand's North Island. Guinness World Records and World Atlas have described it as possibly the longest place name in the world. Locals usually just call it Taumata.
What the Name Means
The name comes from the Māori language, and it isn't a random jumble of letters. It's a description, almost a short story. Roughly translated, it means: the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his flute to his loved one.
The flute in question is a kōauau, a traditional Māori flute. So when you read the full name, you're really reading a tribute to a legendary traveler serenading someone he loved.
Who Was Tamatea?
Tamatea, known as Tamatea-pōkai-whenua, or Tamatea the explorer of the land, is a famous figure in Māori tradition. He was the father of Kahungunu, the ancestor of the Ngāti Kahungunu tribe.
Stories of his travels appear in the traditions of tribes across New Zealand. Legends from the North Island's East Coast describe him exploring many areas, including Pōrangahau, near the hill that bears his name. A river, the Ōtamatea, is named after him too, as is a suburb of the city of Napier.
Early South Island legends add a dramatic twist. They say Tamatea sailed down the east coast until his canoe was wrecked in the far south, where it turned into the Tākitimu mountain range. He then returned to the North Island, traveling by way of the Whanganui River.
A Name That Keeps Changing Length
Believe it or not, 85 letters isn't the only version. There's a 92-letter form, and an even longer one with 105 letters. Maps from 1929 used a much shorter 28-letter version.
In 1941, New Zealand's geographic board renamed the hill with a 57-letter version, which has been an official name since 1948. Still, the 85-letter version is the one that made the hill world-famous.
For all that fame, the hill itself is fairly modest. Its summit stands 305 meters, or about 1,001 feet, above sea level. The name has even made its way into pop music. It features in The Lone Ranger, a 1979 hit single by the band Quantum Jump.
Other Champions of Long Names
New Zealand has company. In Wales, a village on the island of Anglesey is known by a 58-letter version of its name, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. It's often called the longest place name in Europe. The extra-long version seems to have grown over time, with part of it supposedly added in the 1860s. Locals usually shorten it to Llanfairpwll or Llanfair PG.
The United States has its own contender. A lake in Webster, Massachusetts, is also known as Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. With 45 letters, it's often cited as the longest place name in the country, though many people simply call it Webster Lake.
So if you ever find yourself in Hawke's Bay, pull over and snap a photo of that famous sign. Just don't try to say the whole thing in one breath.
