‘It’s a Polynesian country’: The Maori party wants to change the name of New Zealand

Tuesday 14 September 2021

It is a Polynesian country.
The Maori party wants to rename New Zealand

“Aotearoa” – that’s what New Zealand would call it in the future if a Maori party were going well. He has petitioned – and is not just seeking to be renamed the “Land of the Long White Cloud,” which translates to “Aotearoa.” However, the term is controversial.

The Maori Party has petitioned New Zealand to formally rename the Pacific State as “Aotearoa”. The Aboriginal word, which has been translated to mean “Land of the Long White Cloud”, is already often used as a synonym for New Zealand. However, the term has a controversial history and is said to have originally been used only for the North Island and not for the entire country.

The Maori party also wants to reintroduce Maori names for all city and place names by 2026, its chairs Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer confirmed in a statement. “It is too late for Te Rio Maori (Maori language) to regain its rightful place as the first and official language of this country. We are a Polynesian state, we are Aotearoa,” Waititi said.

Ngariwa Packer explained that the name change and “imposition of a colonial agenda in the education system” has reduced the number of Maori fluent in their language. The rate fell from 90 percent in 2010 to 20 percent. Ngariwa Packer said changing the country’s name would help “restore the status of our language”.

Many businesses and government agencies in the island nation use the name Aotearoa which is also on citizens’ passports. Te Rio Maori became an official language of New Zealand in July 1987.