If you were visiting Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s North Island, many locals would be able to give you directions to Taumata Hill, which is an unassuming place situated near Porangahau.
So far, so normal. It’s named after a famous warrior – Tamatea. When his brother was killed in battle, grieving, each morning, the chief would sit on the 305m high hill and play a Maori flute lament.
The name of the hill describes this action in great detail. Which is why it’s one of the longest place names in the world. Imagine sending a text message to your family to say that you had just climbed:
‘Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu’.
To save you counting, that’s a mere 85 characters, although there are reported to be even-longer alternatives!
Source: https://www.newzealand.com/uk/feature/the-longest-place-name-in-new-zealand/
