TOPIC:

Between us, we managed to read the address, Te Karaka, Poverty Bay.

Poverty Bay; that's sounds a most unfortunate name. I wonder how it got stuck with such a name. Some places have really odd names. The Taiwanese name for the old British Consulate in Tamshui near Taipei translates to the 'Fort of the Red-haired hairy barbarians.' The Taiwanese word for Westerner translates to 'big nose.'

Cheers,

Mark

Mark,

I think it was Captain Cook who gave it that unfortunate name. The story goes that he landed there on 7 Oct 1769 and wanted to load fresh food for his crew. The local Maoris were having none of this and put up a struggle that cost them a few of their men. After this, Cook retreated and marked the charts with the name of this encounter.

Not as good as the fort of the barbarians but a nice story.

Regards
David

David, thanks for the explanation on the name. Many believe that the Maoris have Taiwan Aboriginal origins. The "Out of Taiwan model" is the generally accepted model for the ancestry of Austronesian-speaking peoples. The recent Sundaland model challenges some of this but there still seems to be strong evidence supporting a connection a Taiwan Aboriginal-Maori connection.

Cheers,

Mark

Thanks David,

You are spot on. They are the four clasps on the medal. Interestingly the top clasp SA 1901 is held on with a hairpin. Receiving it later (1908) will account for that Kiwi fix applied. Will take up your suggestions.

Cheers
Stephen

Thanks Mark,

Appreciate the detail and confirmation of Gt Grandads medal is complete but in need of some TLC. Will PM you for e copies. Thank you.

That writing is hard to decihpher. We can read PO Te Karaka, Poverty Bay NZ. The two words in front are hard to read? We are thinking General or something wife. The family sheep station is at Te Karaka and GG was a very keen Horseman.

Thanks again
Stephen