Public feedback sought on the proposal to alter the Whangārei suburb name of Kamo to Te Kamo

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa is proposing to change the unofficial name Kamo to Te Kamo for the suburb approximately 5km north-northwest of Whangārei CBD.

Local hapū have shared that Te Kamo was a resident rangatira (chief) and tupuna (ancestor) in the Te Kamo environs. He worked hard to ensure the village of Te Kamo and its people were safe and lived comfortably, guiding the hapū alongside other rangatira in the area.

The proposal to alter the suburb name seeks to recognise Te Kamo as the prominent leader he was in the area, with the correct spelling and to honour the history of the region.

In Māori, ‘Te’ is part of the name, just as ‘O’ is part of O’Neill in English. Including the definite article ‘Te’ in Māori personal names, whether for first or surnames, elevates the status of a person and respects their importance. Significant tūpuna often have ‘Te’ at the start of their names, for example, Te Puni, Te Kooti. So, while it may appear to be a small change, it is important to get right. 

The Board recognises that this is however a significant change for the community and invites feedback.

The community is also invited to comment on the most appropriate boundaries of the suburb.

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, either online or by emailing nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz.

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

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.

 

E rapua ana ngā whakaaro o te iwi tūmatanui mō te tono kia panonitia te ingoa o Kamo, tapa taone o Whangārei, ki Te Kamo

E whakaaro ana a Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa ki te panoni i te ingoa kīhai i mana o Kamo ki Te Kamo mō te tapa taone kei tōna 5km i waenga i te raki me te uru-mā-raki o te CBD o Whangārei.

Kua kōrero te hapū o te hau kāinga nei mō te noho a Te Kamo hei rangatira, hei tupuna i te takiwā ki Te Kamo. I pukumahi ia e noho haumaru tūturu ai ngā tāngata o te kāinga o Te Kamo, e tau ai tā rātou noho, me tana ārahi tahi i te hapū ki ētahi atu rangatira o te takiwā.

E whai ana te tono kia whakarerekētia te ingoa o te tapa taone kia āta mōhiotia ai te noho rangatira rongonui a Te Kamo ki te takiwā, kia whakatikaina te tuhi, kia whakahōnoretia hoki te hītori o te rohe.

Ki te Māori, he wāhanga te ‘Te’ o te ingoa, pērā i te ‘O’ o te O’Neill i te ingoa Ingarihi. Mā te uru atu o te pū tautuhi ‘Te’ ki te ingoa whaiaro Māori, ahakoa ingoa tuatahi, ingoa whānau rānei, e piki ai te mana o te tangata, e kauanuanutia ai tōna hiranga.  Noho tonu mai ai te ‘Te’ ki te tīmatanga o te ingoa tupuna mana nui, hei tauira ko Te Puni, ko Te Kooti. Nō reira, ahakoa iti te panonitanga, e hiranga ana kia tika.

Heoi, e mōhio ana te Poari ki te hiranga o te panonitanga nei ki te hapori, e rapu whakaaro nei ia.

E pai ana hoki te tuku whakaaro a te hapori mō ngā paenga o te tapa taone ka tino hāngai.

Ka tuwhera te tono ki ngā whakaaro o te iwi nui tonu atu i te 18 o Kohitātea ki te 18 o Paengawhāwhā 2023. Kātahi te Poari ka noho ki te wānanga i ngā whakaaro kua tae 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 o te ingoa, o-tuihono rānei mā te īmērā rānei ki nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz.

Ka taea anō te tuku whakaaro ā-reta ki te Hēkeretari o Ngā Pou Taunaha, c/o Land Information New Zealand, Pouaka Poutāpeta 5501, Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara 6145.

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.