Māori place names maps launched

Share to Google Classroom

The New Zealand Geographic Board has released updated tangata whenua place name maps, the first update since 1995.

These maps showcase Māori and Moriori place names as they existed prior to European settlement. Divided into two maps for Te Ika a Māui and Te Waipounamu, each map features approximately 900 names, ranging from Te Rerenga Wairua to Rakiura, encompassing mountains, pā sites, sacred places, and food-gathering areas.

The names were sourced from various iwi and hapū groups, as well as the unpublished 1940s centennial atlas compiled by Sir Āpirana Ngata. The board collaborated closely with iwi groups to collect information and stories related to each name. Iwi had the final say in determining which names were included.

The maps aim to represent Aotearoa as it was in 1840 before significant European migration.

The release of these maps aligns with the growing efforts to pronounce Māori place names correctly and encourages the use of Te Reo Māori. The maps will be distributed to schools, marae, and iwi organizations, supporting the new Aotearoa History curriculum. They will also be available for purchase and download through the Land Information New Zealand website.

1
The Treaty Principles Bill has been voted down in New...
1
New satellite data shows that the coastlines of New Zealand’s...
1
Starting in October, pet cats in Melbourne, Australia, must stay...
1
Monkeys may be better yodellers than humans, according to a...
1
Truett Hanes, an American man, has set a new Guinness...

World & National News

1
Judges in a New York appeals court were shocked when...
1
Tens of thousands of eels have been found dead near...
1
International trade is when countries buy and sell goods to...
1
Time to change your clocks and check those smoke alarms!...
1
South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has officially lost his...