Page "Kawanatanga" Paragraph 1

The first part of the word, Kāwana, is a transliteration into Māori of the English word governor.

The suffix-tanga is very similar in meaning and use to the English suffix-ship, for example rangatiratanga ( chieftainship ) and kīngitanga ( kingship ).

So a literal translation of the word would be governorship.

From an idiomatic perspective, this word had little meaning to the chiefs signing the treaty, since the concept of being governed by an overseeing authority was alien to Māori.

What understanding Maori may have had of the term was derived principally from the Bible and in particular Herod's Governorship.

At the time the bible was one of few long printed texts in Maori enjoying wide distribution.