onamata
1. (location) ancient times.
I te hurahura au i ngā pukapuka onamata, ā, kitea ana e au he nui ngā whenua o Heretaunga i hokona e Tānara Mākarini, arā te whenua e tū ana a Nēpia ināianei (TP 2/1906:5). / I was researching in old books and I discovered that there was a large amount of Heretaunga land purchased by Donald McLean, namely the land on which Napier now stands.
See also namata
2. (location) of ancient times, from ancient times.
O ngā iwi katoa onamata kāore he iwi hei rite mō ngā Kariki (TTT 1/10/1926:480). / Of all the nations of ancient times there was none to compare with the Greeks.
Synonyms: o nehe