Why does the Board require you to consult with Māori?
We are committed to our Treaty partners and recognise the importance of their contribution. We actively collect and encourage the use of original Māori place names and their stories. We need to know everything we can about the history of the naming of a place to help us make good and informed decisions.
What do you need to do?
You should contact the relevant iwi, hapū, marae or any group with an ancestral interest in the place to ask their views on your place name proposal. It is especially important to ask whether an original Māori name exists. You must let us know the results of your consultation, even if you don’t get a reply from the people you contacted.
Which iwi should you consult?
For information on who to consult see Te Kāhui Māngai on Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development) website, or Māori Maps. You may need to consult more than one group.
How do you contact Māori?
You could write a letter, send an email, or phone the relevant groups. Explain what you are doing, ask if they have an original Māori name for the place and what its story is, if known.
When should you do this?
You should make contact in the early stages of preparing your proposal. Māori organisations can be busy and may need time to consider your request, especially if they need to do their own consultation or research.
