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

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorito 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 cayoEvery word from Spanish CayoEvery word from English cay