Geographic Board opens consultation to change Russell to its original Māori name, Kororāreka

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa is calling for public feedback on the proposal to change the name of the nation’s first capital, Russell, to its original Māori name, Kororāreka.

Russell, a small township in the Bay of Islands, has a special place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. It was one of the first places where Europeans settled, and was well known as Kororāreka until the early 1840s. To this day, the township is still known as Kororāreka by many in the community.

Kororāreka tells the story of an unwell chief who was brought back to health with soup made from the little blue penguin. He declared “how sweet is the penguin” – kororā: blue penguin; reka: sweet.

Russell was named after the leader of the British House of Commons, Lord John Russell, who never visited Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Board encourages the use of original Māori names for places and features, especially when there is support from mana whenua.

The proposal to officially change the name to Kororāreka has had local support from Te Rūnanga ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi and the Far North District Council, and the Board wants to hear the public’s views, whether supporting or objecting to the name change, to ensure all viewpoints are considered before a final decision is made.

View the full proposal

The proposal is open for public submissions from 18 January 2023 to 18 April 2023. The Board will then consider feedback at its mid-year hui.

Anyone can make a submission supporting or objecting to the name change and also share their views on where the official boundaries of the township should be set, either online or by emailing nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz.

Submissions can also be made by letter to the Secretary of the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, c/o Land Information New Zealand, PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145.

The Board has also added macrons to three other names in the vicinity: Kororāreka Point, Kororāreka Point Scenic Reserve and Kororāreka Bay.

About Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa

Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board is an independent statutory body. The Board is supported and administered by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand.

Anyone may propose a name for a geographic feature or place. The Board uses naming guidelines and standards and follows international good practice to help it to make robust and enduring decisions.

The Board recognises the importance of pronunciation in te reo and macrons support both pronunciation and meaning. Therefore, the Board follows the orthographic conventions of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission).

If the Board doesn't agree with a proposal, it may consult on a different proposal considered to be more appropriate.

The Board consults with relevant agencies, local communities, stakeholders and iwi. It researches all proposals and encourages the use of original Māori place names.

Official place names must be used in all official documents like road signs, maps, websites, databases and publications for tourists.

Anyone can make a submission on proposed place names, either online or by emailing nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz, or by mailing directly to the Board’s Secretariat.

Official and recorded place names can be searched in the New Zealand Gazetteer.

 

Kua tuwhera te whakapāpā haere a Ngā Pou Taunaha e hoki anō ai a Russell ki te Kororāreka, tōna ingoa ake

E rapu ana a Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa i ngā whakaaro o te iwi tūmatanui mō te whakahoki ake i te ingoa o te taone matua tuatahi o te motu, a Russell, ki tōna ingoa Māori ake, a Kororāreka.

He taone iti a Russell kei Pēwhairangi, he wāhi nui tōna i ngā hītori o Aotearoa. Koia tētahi o ngā wāhi tuatahi i rarau ai te noho a te Pākehā, i whānui te mōhiotia ko Kororāreka taka rawa ki ngā tau tōmua o te 1840s. Taka mai ki tēnei rā, ko Kororāreka tonu te ingoa ki tētahi tokomaha o te hapori.

I takea mai te ingoa o Kororāreka i te kōrero mō tētahi rangatira e māuiui ana, ka hoki ake ki te ora i te waikōhua i mahia ki te kororā. Ka puta tana kōrero mō te “reka o te kororā”.

I taunahatia a Russell ki te kaihautū o te British House of Commons, ki a Lord John Russell, kāore nei i tau te waewae ki Aotearoa.

E whakahau ana te Poari kia rere ko te ingoa Māori taketake ake mō te wāhi me te tārainga whenua, mārika rā ina tautokohia e te mana whenua.

E tautokohia ana te tono kia mana te panonnitia o te ingoa Kororāreka e ngā iwi kāinga o Te Rūnanga ā-Iwi o Ngāpuhi me te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Te Tai Tokerau, kei te hiahia rongo hoki te Poari i ngā whakaaro o te iwi tūmatanui, ahakoa tautoko, ahakoa whakahē rānei i te panonitanga o te ingoa, e mātua rangona ai ngā whakaaro whānui i mua i te whakatau whakamutunga.

Ka tuwhera te tono mō ngā whakaaro o te iwi nui tonu atu i te 18 o Kohitātea 2023 ki te 18 o Paengawhāwhā 2023. Ka noho te Poari ki te wānanga i ngā whakaaro kua tae ake ki a ia i tana hui o waenganui tau.

Ka taea e te tangata noa te tāpae whakaaro e tautoko ana, e whakahē ana rānei i te panonitanga ingoa, kia whai whakaaro hoki ki ngā kotikotinga, arā, ki hea ake ngā kotikotinga mana o te taone. Ka taea tēnei ā-tuihono rānei me īmēra rānei ki nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz.

E pai ana hoki te tuku whakaaro ā-reta ki te Hēkeretari o Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, c/o Land Information New Zealand, Pouaka Poutāpeta 5501, Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara 6145.

Kua hoatu tohutō hoki te Poari ki ētahi ingoa e toru kei taua takiwā: ki Kororāreka Point, ki Kororāreka Point Scenic Reserve me Kororāreka Bay.

He kōrero mō Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa

He rōpū motuhake ā-ture a Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa. E tautokohia ana, e whakahaeretia ana mātou e Toitū Te Whenua.

E āhei ana te tangata noa ki te tono ingoa mō tētahi tārainga whenua, tētahi wāhi rānei. Ka whai te Poari i ētahi aratohu taunaha, ētahi paerewa, me ngā tikanga mahi papai o te ao e pakari ai, e mauroa ai tāna i whakatau ai.

E mōhio ana te Poari ki te hiranga o te whakahua i te reo, ka tautoko hoki te tohutō i te whakahuatanga me te tikanga o te kupu. Nō reira, ka whai te Poari i ngā tikanga tuhi i hangaia e Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

Ki te kore te Poari e whakaae ki tētahi tono, e āhei ana ia ki te whakapāpā haere mō tētahi tono ingoa kē e whakapono ana ia ka hāngai ake.

Ka whakapā atu te Poari ki ngā umanga e tika ana, ki ngā hapori o te hau kāinga, ki te hunga whai pānga me ngā iwi e hāngai ana. Ka rangahaua e ia ngā tono katoa, ka whakahau hoki kia whakamahia ko te ingoa wāhi Māori taketake ake.

Me mātua whakamahi ko te ingoa wāhi mana ki ngā tuhinga mana katoa pērā i te tohu huarahi, te mahere whenua, te paetukutuku, te putunga raraunga me ngā whakaputanga mā te hunga tāpoi.

E āhei ana te tangata noa ki te tāpae whakaaro mō te tono ingoa wāhi, ā-tuihono rānei mā te īmēra rānei ki nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz, mā te tuku reta hāngai atu rānei ki te Tokomatua a te Poari.

Ka taea te ingoa mana te ingoa wāhi rānei kua takoto te rangahau i te New Zealand Gazetteer.