tūwhenua
1. (noun) leprosy, leper.
He nui anō ngā tāngata e aroha aho ki aua tūwhenua, e pau haere rā te kiri te kai e te mate, pirau atu te kiri, te kiko, te wheua, mau ana te wehi ki te mātakina atu, e kore e mōhiotia he tāngata (KO 4/7/1890:1). / The people had great pity for those lepers whose skin was being eaten away by the disease, the skin, flesh and bones were decaying, which was frightening to observe and one would never know that they were human.
Synonyms: repara, repera, takewhenua, mumutu, ngerengere, mate tūhawaiki, mate ngerengere, mate tūwhenua, tūhawaiki
2. (noun) mainland.
E ono māero te roa o te ākau o te tūwhenua i hurihia anō hoki e taua ngaru, he tūpuhi nui hoki (TWMNT 9/1/1877:14). / Six miles along the coast of the mainland was submerged by that wave. It was a big storm.
See also tuawhenua
