Oceania

The toponymy of the islands scattered on huge open spaces of the Pacific Ocean, i.e. Oceania is very peculiar. There are not enough names of settlements, it is even less oronims and there are almost no gidronims. The European travelers - British, French, Dutches, Russians, Portuguese, Spaniards and others were pioneers of islands. Place names of this islands are devoted to travelers, seafarers, historical events, memorials, vessel names, cult and religious holidays. The basis of names of oceanic islands is made by memorial, symbolical and religious and cult toponymy. For example: islands of Russians, Cook, Easter, Friendship, Markizsky and others. Nevertheless, many islands have received the name from languages of indigenous people. Therefore, in the territory of Oceania there were two groups of names: European and indigenous.

Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia and New Zealand. In each of these parts the are languages and dialects. Polynesian languages are most widespread: Hawaiian, Maori, Tahiti, Samoan. In rather pure form the Hawaiian toponymy, examples of which are Hawaii (The paradise earth), Oahu (middle), Mau - on - Loa (the distant mountain), Mauna Kea (the white mountain), Kilauea (the smoked peak or the smoked mountain), Guadalai (the round mountain), etc. has remained. The Hawaiian toponyms on these islands take not less than 80%.

Many common features are characteristic of Polynesian toponymy: a) in place names vowels prevail over concordants that will give them a peculiar sounding of which our record won't give an exact idea; b) the place names formed by doubling of a basis (Baubau, Bumbum, Parepare) were widely adopted; the Polynesians connected in the everyday life with the sea gave names even to bays, lagoons, reeves, small by the sizes, but many islands remain anonymous to this day.

Scientists continue to argue about an origin of Polynesian languages and Polynesian toponymy. Some ethnographers consider that Polynesia became populated from the West, from Indonesia, and other group of scientists claims that Polynesia the people of South America, Many toponyms occupied, proceed from these contradictory statements, remain not deciphered.

Among place names of Oceania there is a lot of with definition "new", appeared at the time of Great geographical discoveries. Such names were given by the English traveler James Cook to many open territories: New Hebrides, New Caledonia, New South Wales.

The archipelago New Zealand has been discovered by Dutch in the 18th century and is called by name the Dutch province. However, this territory had the primordial name which has remained up to now - Aotearoa that in language of Maori means "a long white cloud". The word of Maori means "tribe", "posterity". Aboriginals call the northern island of the archipelago Ikaa-Maui ("fish of Maui") or Agino-Maui ("given rise Maui"). According to the Maori legend, the Supreme god of Maui has pulled out this island similar in a form to fish, during fishing. On the Southern island of Maori since ancient times got nephrite for production of tips of arrows and jewelry therefore the island called Tevagi-Punama - "the place of a green stone".

Among other Maori's toponyms names often meet the term "Vai" that means "river": Vayvera, Waikatuo, Vaykiki (the well-known Honolulu beach in Hawaii), where "wai" - water, Cicia - the coast, i.e. a coastal water strip; with the term "a company'' that "lake" (Rotomagana) means; with the terms "container", "Tanga" that the mountain, a volcano means. Oronima can be examples: Ruapehu, Tangaroa, Tararua, Taravera.

However, the true sense of the majority of names is unknown. The longest place name of the Southern hemisphere, from 74 letters, one of villages in New Zealand has. There is its full name: Tuamatavkhakatatagikhangakouuatemateapokaia. In translation from language of Maori it means; "The hill crest where Tematea has got, the person with big knees, has slipped, but has gone through a crest and has discovered New Land where began to play a flute for the family".

During development of this land by British or Portuguese immigrants, they often resorted to ancient Celtic names. In such way was created the name of the city of Dunedin – the ancient Celtic name of the Scottish Edinburgh. Many streets of Dunedin are called the same as streets of the Scottish capital: Duncan, Maklegon, Rozlin, etc. It is visible, ancestors of present danidinets very much were homesick left them.

Near Dunedin the lake Vakatipu the longest in New Zealand is located. Its extent is more than hundred kilometers. 25 small rivers flow into him, each of which instead of the name has serial number as streets of New York.

The highest point of New Zealand is called in honor of great D. Cook. Aboriginals Mount Cook call "Aorangi" that means "piercing the sky".

Vicinities of Mount Cook - the favorite place of the New Zealand climbers. One of the most famous modern climbers - New Zealander Edmund of Hillary has in these parts started the career. In May, 1953 E. Hillary and "a tiger of snow'' Tensing the first have risen by the highest top of the world Chomolungma.

The largest river in the Southern Alps of New Zealand called Avon - according to the name of the river in England on the bank of which great V. Shakespeare was born. The river Avon Jr. flows through the city of Kraystcher (name migrant) in which many streets bear names of heroes of works of Shakespeare. For example: King Lear Street, Juliette, Othello, Macbeth, etc.

After World War II in Oceania names of the new independent states began to arise: Papua - New Guinea, Nauru, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Palau and others.