Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, commonly known as Taumata or Taumata Hill, is a small hill located in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand’s North Island, near Pōrangahau. The hill rises approximately 305 metres above sea level and is renowned for having one of the longest geographical names in the world. This 85-character Māori name has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest place name in the world. Due to its unique length, it has become a point of interest for geography enthusiasts and tourists alike. Locals commonly refer to the hill by its abbreviated name, Taumata, in everyday speech.

Location and Features

Taumata Hill is situated in the southern part of the Hawke’s Bay region on New Zealand’s North Island, close to the settlement of Pōrangahau. The surrounding landscape consists of rural hilly terrain.

Taumata Sign. (flickr)

Taumata Direction Sign. (flickr)

The hill lies approximately 55 kilometres south of the town of Waipukurau and about 115 kilometres southwest of the region’s major city, Napier. The land on which the hill stands is private property; it is currently owned by the Scott family, who serve as its guardians (in Māori, kaitiaki). Visitors typically come to see the roadside sign along Wimbledon Road, which connects Pōrangahau and Wimbledon villages. This sign bears the hill’s 85-letter name and has become a popular photo spot. Access to the hill itself on foot requires permission from the landowner. Although the hill is not particularly high at 1000 feet (305 metres), its fame stems entirely from the extraordinary length of its name.

The World’s Longest Place Name: Taumata (flickr)

The Title of “World’s Longest Place Name” and Official Recognition

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, with its 85-letter name, is among the longest geographical place names known globally. This name has been officially registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest place name in the world. It also holds the top position in World Atlas’s list of the Top 10 Longest Place Names. According to this list, the name of this hill in New Zealand is longer than the famous 58-letter village name in Wales, Llanfair­pwll­gwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch. (The Welsh location holds the title of the world’s longest settlement name, but in terms of total letter count, Taumata is longer.)

Due to its distinctive name, the local community has taken steps to protect it. Under the Wai 262 claim — related to the Waitangi Treaty and issues concerning Māori rights over flora, fauna and traditional knowledge — the name of the hill was officially registered as a trademark in 2006. This registration aims to prevent unauthorized or inappropriate use of the name, thereby safeguarding the cultural heritage of the local people and potential economic benefits. Today, the name and significance of the hill are recognized and preserved both as an official world record and as a cultural value.

Meaning and the Story of Tamatea

The name Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, located in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay region and regarded as one of the world’s longest single place names, is a Māori sentence that recounts a historical event and person associated with the naming of the hill. In local Māori culture, it represents a hill of historical and mythological importance. The name can be translated into English as: “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, and who was the navigator, played his flute for his beloved.” The figure referred to in this name, Tamatea, is a legendary Māori chief, warrior and explorer said to have lived in the 18th century.

Taumata (flickr)

One of Tamatea’s full titles is Tamatea-pōkai-whenua (Tamatea the Land Explorer), and according to legend, he travelled from one end of New Zealand to the other and is credited with naming many places. The epithet “big knees” is a descriptive feature from the legend. The origin of the name is linked to an event in which the mythical Māori figure Tamatea lost his brother in battle.

Taumata (flickr)

The image depicts the event that gave rise to this long place name. The story begins when Tamatea, during a journey near Porangahau, engaged in conflict with another tribe. In the battle, Tamatea’s brother was killed. Overcome with grief, Tamatea remained at the battlefield for days, sitting each morning on the nearby hill and playing a lament on his Māori flute (koauau). The place name thus means: “The hill where Tamatea, the large-bodied and renowned chief, played his flute in memory of his brother.” It holds cultural significance as a symbol of oral Māori tradition and local memory.

To ensure the memory of this place and event would not be forgotten, the Māori people named the hill with this lengthy phrase that describes the incident. The name functions as a sentence, recounting Tamatea’s titles and actions to honour his memory. Some sources even mention a longer, 105-letter version of the name in the Māori language that provides even more detailed descriptions of Tamatea’s characteristics. However, the official and commonly used form remains the 85-letter version.

Place in Popular Culture

Due to its extraordinary length, Taumata Hill has frequently been referenced in popular culture and the media. The name has been used humorously and as a curiosity in various television advertisements, songs and printed publications. For example, “The World’s Longest Place Name”-themed promotional films and advertisements have introduced this unique corner of New Zealand to the world. The name has also inspired several songs, gaining fame through humorous or educational music videos in which it is repeatedly chanted.

On social media, videos taken beside the Taumata sign have become popular. Visitors share clips of themselves attempting to pronounce the name or playing cheerful music containing the name in the background. The hill’s name has also appeared on various commercial products such as clothing brands, suggesting its potential as a brand element. It has even been referenced in animated films or cartoons as the subject of jokes. All these examples suggest that the name Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu has captured global curiosity and become a cultural phenomenon.

Taumata (flickr)

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu Hill is a tourist attraction primarily because of the length of its name. In particular, the 85-letter roadside sign has become a frequently visited stop for tourists seeking photo opportunities. Although the land is privately owned, limiting direct access to the hill, the sign is located in a publicly accessible area and is widely used for visual memorabilia. The area around the sign attracts the attention of both local and international tourists due to the name’s length, encouraging visually oriented visits to the region.

The World’s Longest Place Name: Taumata (flickr)