Mata Nui Location Name Origins
Entry posted by Aanchir
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I recently have been spending a lot of time researching the origins of 2001-2003 BIONICLE names. One area I have nearly completed my research on is that of locations. Bear in mind that these are mostly 2001 names, so they are derived from various Polynesian sources. I intend no offense to those cultures where the words are still in-use, and do not claim to have confirmation that the cited languages are the actual sources for the names (if I remember correctly, many names were drawn by LEGO from a proto-Polynesian language, and their similarity to still-extant languages was an unfortunate side-effect).
Anyway, here goes, and hope I'm not breaking any rules here. First the basic terms:
Mata: eye, face (Maori, Fijian, etc.)
Nui: great, large (Maori, Fijian, etc.)
Koro: village (Fijian)
Suva: shrine (Fijian)
Wahi: location, place, region (Maori)
I've been unable to find a source for Kini. I'll be very grateful to anyone who can provide one.
Next, specific place names. Most of these are derived from parts of a face, foreshadowing the fact that the island of Mata Nui covered the face of the island's namesake, and also paralleling the overall shape of the island.
Ihu: nose (Maori)
Mangai: mouth (Maori)
Kauae: jaw, chin (Maori)*
Motara: forehead (Rotuman)
Naho: eye sockets (Hawaiian)
Leva: hair (Rotuman)
Fau: cheek; side of face (Rotuman)
Hura Mafa: Hura means to fall, be shed (in reference to tears) in Rotuman. Mafa means eyes in Rotuman and actually means "tears" in the context of the term sui ne mafa. Whichever of these is the intended origin, it is clear that the Hura Mafa river is meant as a stream of tears.
Kumu: Although it means rump or behind in Maori (lol Mata Nui has a butt-chin), a more likely origin is kumkumu, Rotuman for chin or beard.
Papa Niho: In Hawaiian, it would essentially mean "rock foundation".
Tiro: Possibly from maf tiro, meaning eyeglasses in Rotuman.
Marn: Probably the most obscure Mata Nui location, the Marn tunnels don't appear outside the MNOG. Marn is Turkish for marl, which after consulting an English online dictionary I learned to be a type of rocky soil.
This is all I have so far, but it seems fairly complete. I still need translations for Tren Krom and Mangaia, though, and if there are any other 2001-2003 BIONICLE place-names I missed don't hesitate to inform me.
In future entries I will list other name origins, but that will have to wait until I have more complete lists. Hope other people find this interesting.
*Before anyone says "it's spelled Kanae", I'm fairly sure Kauae was the original name, and it fits better with the naming scheme. I haven't ever been able to verify this with a reliable source, but the "Quest for Makuta" board game, in the very least, agrees.
EDIT 1/10/2012: I have been able to verify Kauae Bay (on an archived copy of the old BIONICLE.com lexicon). Haven't had much luck with Lake Pala, but apparently according to Wiktionary it can just mean head in Wangaaybuwan-Ngiyambaa. I still can't find anything for Amaja.
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