Where does “Whiringa ki Tawhiti” come from?

Whiringa ki Tawhiti (Maori) comes from Maori kī, from English key, from English cay, from Spanish Cayo, from Taíno cayo — small island.

Ancestry of “Whiringa ki Tawhiti”, step by step

Whiringa ki Tawhiti traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Maori kī

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorikīto say, speak, express, utter, call, mention,...
2EnglishkeyAn object designed to open and close a lock; An...
3EnglishcayA small, low island largely made of sand or coral
4SpanishCayokey island
5Taínocayosmall island

via Maori whiringa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoriwhiringa—

via Maori tawhiti

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoritawhiti—
Every word from Taíno cayo →Every word from Spanish Cayo →Every word from English cay →