New Zealand Poetry Society Te Hunga Tito Ruri o Aotearoa
Haiku glossary
Index of Poets l Katikati Haiku Pathway l Showcase Home l Haiku NZ Home
Glossary:
At point: A fielding position in cricket. For a diagram of these positions and to read more about the sport of cricket go here. The scheduled breaks in the three-day and five-day games are called "tea" and "drinks". The main cricket-playing nations are (in no particular order) New Zealand, Australia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Zimbabwe and England.
Bach (pronounced batch): Holiday cottage, generally beside water (ie, beach or lake). Previously, baches were basic, sort of like camping with 4 walls and a roof. These days, though, they can be a true second home. Known in the South Island as "cribs" (from the Scottish influence there, in parts of Scotland a crib is a house for farm animals).
Cabbage tree: Cordyline australis or ti kouka. The tree is iconic in the landscape of New Zealand, growing in open country and providing food for birds and in times gone past for Maori and settlers. It has sweetly perfumed flowers and several cutlivars, including with coloured leaves, have been developed for the home garden. Read more here.
Canterbury: A province on the east coast of the South Island, main city Christchurch. The Canterbury Plains, an area of merged river deltas, are the largest stretch of flat land in New Zealand. The province was named after the Canterbury Association formed in England in 1848 to organise an Anglican settlement in NZ. It is known for its sheep, dairy and grain production, its prowess at rugby (current All Black captain Richie McCaw plays for Canterbury), and the hot, dry nor'wester wind which makes residents' lives a misery. For more on the wind, see here.
Cicada: New Zealand has its own cicada species about which remarkably little is known. This website contains some scientific information and includes an image gallery. The small Waikato town of Kihikihi is named for the cicada.
Cormorant: Or black shag. To find out more about this bird in New Zealand, go here.
Harrier Hawk: A native bird also known as the kahu and by the delightful Latin name of Circus approximans. Often seen hovering or wheeling above roads and farmland. Read more here.
Hokusai's Great Wave: One of the best known woodcut prints to come out of Japan, it was made in 1831 and is correctly known as The Great Wave off Kanagawa. To see the print, and find out more about the artist go here.
Kea (key-ah): The world's only mountain parrot lives in New Zealand's harshest climate - the Southern Alps - and is noted for its sense of mischief (and sense of humour). Kea are fearsomely intelligent and enjoy having a go at tourist's cars in Arthurs' Pass - pulling off windscreen wiper blades and snapping car aerials. Read more here (the bird is pictured below).
Kokako (co-car-co): Also called the blue-wattled crow, is a blue-grey forest bird with colourful fleshy wattles below the beak and a velvet-black "lone-ranger" mask. Because their wings are small and weak, kokako glide, and run and jump through the forest canopy on their long black legs. North Island birds have blue wattles, while South Island birds have orange wattles. When they sing all in the forest stop and listen in awe. This kokako website includes examples of their lovely song.
Also the name of a New Zealand haiku journal. For more information see here.
Kowhai (ko-fie): A member of the pea family that grows as a small tree or shrub with yellow bell-shaped flowers. Many of New Zealand's native trees have small flowers, but the kowhai smothers itself with electric-yellow flowers much loved by nectar-feeding birds. Maori used parts of the tree for traditional medicines, while the flowers were used to make a dye. To find out more go here.
Landscape Road: A street in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. A popular route for tour buses visiting the old volcanic crater of Mt Eden (Auckland is built on 50 volcanic cones and craters - there is some concern that they are merely dormant.) See also Rangitoto.
Macrocarpa: Cupressus macrocarpa or Monterey Cypress. The tree is used extensively on New Zealand farms and in rural areas for large hedges and shelterbelts. For more go here.
Moutara (mow-to-ah-ra): Is an island bird sanctuary in Queen Charlotte Sound (northern South Island) which is home, to among other native birds, the endangered South Island saddleback (see listing below).
Paekakariki (pie-cock-ah-ree-key): A seaside village 50km north of Wellington, Paekakariki was once famous for its pub (demolished in 2005), and is popular with workers who commute to the capital by rail. During World War 2 it was the base for some 20,000 US Marines. To find out more, go here.
Parson bird: See tui.
Paua (pah-wah): Haliotis iris, known as abalone in other parts of the world. The coloured interior lining of the shell has long been used in New Zealand for decorative purposes, and is still in great demand and today is used for jewellery, artwork and home decoration, although not many are brave enough to follow in the footsteps of the late Fred and Myrtle Flutey. Traditionally, Maori used paua to decorate carvings, particularly eyes. To read more, go here. To see how paua is used in traditional Maori carving, go here.
Pied oystercatcher: A well-known wading bird around the shores and wetlands of New Zealand. There is also a black oystercatcher. For more information go here.
Ponga (pung-ah): Is the common name given to several varieties of New Zealand tree fern, an emblamatic tree of this country's native bush (forest). The best-known is, of course, the silver fern which representative athletes in all sports wear on their black jerseys when competing at international level. It's the underside of the frond which is silver and apparently Maori would lay them by tracks to point the way, including at night. See pictures and read more about tree ferns here. See also the entry for silver fern.
Raizan: Raizan Konishi, a haiku poet, 1654-1716. Read more here.
Rangitoto (rang-ih-toe-toe): A volcanic island in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, its cone is a touchstone view for the central business district and many residents. It erupted from the sea some 600 years ago and although its slopes are still bare lava in places, the island is home to the country's largest pohutukawa forest, as well as many other native plants. A popular destination for day trips (no overnight stays allowed) with some demanding walks. More information here.
Rimu (ree-moo): Dacrydium cupressinum or red pine, a tree native to New Zealand. Once a popular wood for construction and furtnitue-making, the rimu forests are now managed sustainably. More information here.
Saddleback: Before mammals were brought to New Zealand, the saddleback (tieke, pro: tea-eh-key) was one of the most common birds on both mainland islands, but by 1900 they were found only on offshore islands. Their decline was in part due to habitat loss and the fact they spend a lot of time on the ground and so are more vulnerable to predators. Visit this website and this one to find out more, and hear their song.
Seasons: Northern Hemisphere readers should remember that our seasons occur in different months - generally, spring is from September to the end of November, summer from December to the end of February, autumn from March to the end of May, and winter from June to the end of August. Because New Zealand is a long country, the seasons will vary slightly depending on location and, for instance, winter will be more severe in the lower South Island and milder in the upper North Island.
Silage: Fermented plant material used to feed stock animals during the winter. Read more here.
Tuatara (two-ah-tar-rah): A lizard unique to New Zealand - and a remnant of the dinosaur age. Tuatara are considered a taonga (treasure) of New Zealand and there is a breeding programme in place to assist their survival. Tuatara are known to live for over 100 years. Read more here.
Tui (two-e): Also called the parson bird by early English settlers because of the two, small curled white feathers at its throat. The tui's glossy feathers are otherwise dark, iridescent shades of black, blue, green and purple. It is known for its song, which varies from area to area, and which ranges from a rasping croak to a string of sweet, melodious notes. It has also been known to imitate the song of other birds. One Maori translation of its name is "to pierce". For more see here.
Waitangi: The site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between Maori and representatives of Queen Victoria in February 1840. The document is viewed as the founding document of New Zealand and is still relevant today. The Treaty House and its grounds (where the signing took place) was bought and gifted to the nation by Governor-General Lord Bledisloe in 1932. For more information see here.
Waka taua (wah-kah ta-wah): The largest of the traditional Maori canoes, ranging from 9m to over 30m long, and were the most ornately carved. Waka taua were primarily war canoes and, beacause they often transported dead warriors, were imbued with a spirituality. Read more about them here.
Waxeye: Zosterops lateralis also known as the silvereye. The small nectar-feeding bird is a self-introduced native from Australia. Read more here.
Whitebait: The immature stage of several native fish species, much prized for eating in New Zealand. The season for taking whitebait from rivers (as they head upstream from the sea where they have spawned) is, for most of the country, from August to November (spring to early summer). The tiny fish (about the size of a metal nail) are caught either with scoop nets (dipped in when the fish are spotted in the water) or square set nets, which are "set" in the river. Only amateurs may fish for whitebait, no commercial operations are allowed.
