Peka. 1. n. Branch of a tree, river, etc. He peka titoki e kore e whati (P.). Peka-a-waka, Earina mucronata, an epiphytic orchid.
2. Faggot, firewood.
3. Fern root. Probably from the expression, te peka a Haumia, used for fern root.
4. A flax cape.
5. Chief. I tu ai te peka i te turanga parekura (S.). Sa. pea, a title of nobility.
6. In a number of proverbial expressions. He peka kai, he peka taonga (P. 24) (which Grey explains: “A noble present; some provisions and some property, a portion of each”). Patua te peka kainga, ko to peka tangata kia ora (P.). Also given in the form, Ka whakarauoratia ko te peka tangata, ko te peka whenua ka whakamatea iho (P.). Ko te kimi i te peka-a-tama e kore e taea, e kore e kitea; te peka tama, te whanau tamariki, e kore e kitea. The branch idea is obvious enough in the case of tama, and the use seems to have been extended to other words.
7. Cheek.
8. v.i. Turn aside. Tae noa ki te pekanga, peka tonu hoki ia (J. xx, 19). In the passive, be turned aside to. Ki te kore au e karanga e kore te kainga e pekaina.
pekanga, n. Branch road. Pekanga na mimi, bastard.
whakapeka, whakapekapeka, v.t. 1. Refuse, decline. Kotahi te wahine i noho, kotahi te wahine i whakapekapeka (Tr. vii, 35).
2. Pervert, distort. Korero whakapeka, dark saying.
3. Cause to turn aside. Ma Te Rangitumoana mana e whakapeka, moe rawa ki kona.
pekapeka, n. 1. Chalinolobus morio and Mystarops tuberculatus, bats. Pekapeka rere ahiahi, hokioi rere po (P.).
2. A toy windmill made of flax leaf.
3. A small ornament of greenstone. Te maha o te heitiki, o te kuru pounamu, o te mako, o te pekapeka, me te poria (T. 153).
4. A short arm of wood on the two of a fishing line, forming a spreader, to which the tau of the hook was attached.
5. Lateral arms attached to the tauha roa of an apparatus used at Rotorua for catching crayfish.
6. A small hooked piece of wood tied to the end of a bird spear to hang it up by when not in use. Kia tae ki runga, katahi ka wetekia te pekapeka. Also the crotch or hook by means of which the mutu bird snare is held on the hiwi while in use. ‖ Tr. xlii, 466, 467.
7. Erechtites quadridentata, a plant.
8. In the term whiri pekapeka, a flat plat of nine strands.
9. Cephaloscyllium isabellum, carpet shark.
10. Starfish.
Williams Dictionary
