TAUMATAWHAKATANGIHANGAKOAUAUAOTAMATEATURIPUKAKAPIKIMAUNGAHORONUKUPOKAIWHENUAKITANATAHU

It took me a long time to write that word, and I hope I have written the longest place name in the world correctly.

From the beginning of 1981 until the end of 2004 we worked as missionaries in the north of New Zealand. (United Maori Mission) During that time I remember hearing about that longest place name in the world.

And today I am finding out more about it in the magazine called ECLIPSE, Issue 02 / 2013. The meaning of the word is “summit of the mountain” and the sign of the longest place name of the world is near Waipukurau in southern Hawke’s Bay.

This longest place name is still in use and is recorded as such in the Guinness World Records.

And there is no doubt that it will take me even longer to memorize  the longest place name in the world than to write it.