Inanga, n. 1. Whitebait, the adult of the minnow, Galaxias attenuatus (also the fry), and the fry of the smelt, Retropinna retropinna. Kei te hao inanga (T. 157).
The Maoris distinguish between inanga papa, a variety of smelt, Retropinna, and inanga tutuna, a spotted variety of minnow, Galaxias.
2. A whitish variety of greenstone, jade, or nephrite. The qualifying terms kore, maroke, pakapaka, rewa, and tuhi were used to distinguish different qualities. ‖ Tr. xxiv, 510, etc.
3. Dracophyllum longifolium, grass tree.
Williams Dictionary