Tawa, n. Beilschmiedia tawa, a tree; also the fruit of the same. He riri ano ta te tawa uho, he riri ano ta te tawa para (T. 145).
whakatawa, n.—Ka toro te kawai, makere te whakatawa (M. 410).
tawatawa. 1. Pneumatophorus australasicies, mackerel. Homai te hiku o taku tawatawa, whangaitia mai kia pau (J. xx, 23). = tewetewe.
2. A superior kind of floor mat.
3. A pattern in weaving mats.
4. Adiantum sp., a fern.
5. Paddle. (Whang.)
6. a. Mottled, marked like the skin of mackerel. Ano te kiri, me te anuhe tawatawa nga mahi a te kauri (T. 30). Kua tawatawa te rangi.
Williams Dictionary