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| LtoR:"The Pillings" Edna, Will, Wyora, Doral, and Blanche Scoville |
I don't know why someone's birthday has that power -- in her case to stop me for a minute and think about her unsung gifts to me, all of that care taking that brought me through to adulthood.
While searching for a picture of her I came across this one.
I have a particular interest in the corsage she is wearing today. I have never really had it pop out at me.
Look at the size of it! I would guess 8 inches long, maybe more.
I wonder when corsages like that went out of style.
Here is my story about my mother in honour of her birthday.
Alice Earl didn't know my mother. She moved to Calgary just after Wyora died. Lately Alice told one of my sisters that Alice kept hearing about Wyora.
Wyora this.
Wyora that.
And what Alice wondered then is why this woman didn't have a last name. What was it about her that everyone just seemed to know "Wyora".
Arta
I asked a volunteer at work who has a Maori son-in-law to ask him the following.
ReplyDeleteIs Wyora a Maori word?
It is my middle name. My great-grandfather spent some time in New Zealand. He named his daughter (my grandmother) Wyora. He told people Wyora was Maori for stream/running water. I think he liked how it sounded. It has become a well-loved family name.
I tried to look Wyora up online without luck. Here are the closest things I could find based on what he said it meant.
http://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&keywords=river&search=
wai
2. (noun) stream, creek, river.
Ka haupū te kupenga tawhito ki uta, ki ngā parenga o ngā wai tauraki ai ki te rā, ka maroke, ka pakapaka (TP 1/1/1901:6). / The old net lies in a heap on the shore and on the banks of streams to dry in the sun. It dries out and is baked.
whaiawa
1. (noun) bed (of a river), riverbed.
Ka kitea te whānui o te whaiawa i te mimititanga o te wai i te raumati (PK 2008:1072). / The breadth of riverbed can be seen when the water dries up in summer.
He replied, "There is no letter y in the Maori alphabet. You are right the phonetic sound for the English letter Y in Maori is created using those letters w.a.i. In fact the Maori alphabet is only made of 15 letters. All five vowels plus: g,h,k,m,n,p,r,t,w and ng. And it does translate to "stream or running water" however it is generally spelt wai, not wy."
ReplyDeleteThis white british settler with an indigenous middle name was really hoping he would confirm the meaning of "stream" over "dry river bed."
ReplyDelete"Wai ora literally refers to water, both as a resource and as an essential part of the environment that provides sustenance for life. The concept reflects the need for Māori to have access to resources and to live in environments that support and sustain a healthy life."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/populations/maori-health/he-korowai-oranga/pae-ora-healthy-futures/wai-ora-healthy-environments
Are you going to use a different spelling with your name?
ReplyDeleteAnd what is your take-away, dear Bonnie Wyora.