Petition by Maori to change the name of New Zealand- Corriere.it

In Maori, “Aotearoa” means “Land of the Long White Cloud”: it was the original name of the archipelago that Dutch colonists renamed New Zealand.
Now the original party launched one petition To get Wellington Parliament to restore the original name within five years.
“We are a Polynesian nation, we are Aotearoa. It is a name that will unite our nation rather than divide it. New Zealand is a Dutch term, and Even the Dutch changed their name to Holland! The Guardian reports that Maori leaders Rawi Waititi and Debi Ngariwa Packer have argued.
“Aotearoa” is actually a term that is already popular among the populationAs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted some time ago, adding however that the name change “is not something the government has considered”, it wrestles with other priorities. “I hear Aotearoa used quite often, and that’s a good thing. Whether it changes or not, New Zealanders are increasingly referring to the name Maori, and the shift has been welcomed by the entire population.” But the right is vehemently opposed to this change.
today alone 15% of New Zealand’s population He claims to belong to the Maori ethnic group, but Traditional culture is experiencing a revival in recent years: In February, to say, the country recognized Matriki, Maori New Year, as a national holiday; Various expressions in the Maori language became popular and more and more New Zealanders decided to study the indigenous language: the Prime Minister estimated that by 2040 at least a million people would speak it.

The launch of the petition comes 49 years after another petition was filed, which was introduced in Parliament to make Maori one of the official languages ​​of New Zealand. “I appreciate those who launched this challenge,” said Waititi, one of the founders of the Maori party. “In 2021, we continue to follow this path and move forward, to ensure that the work done so far is not lost.” In the first two and a half hours, the petition collected 3,000 signatures (New Zealand’s population is just under 5 million). “We are ready for change,” Waititi concluded.