http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/asia-pacific/8011846.stm
New Zealanders are to be asked what they would like to call their two main islands, currently North and South.
The country's Geographic Board, which assigns and approves place name changes, has announced consultations on alternative English and Maori names.
The move follows the discovery that the geographically correct names, used for 200 years, were not legally registered.
The discovery was made by board researchers investigating Maori names for the two islands.
The Geographic Board wants to allow English or Maori names to be used in the future, but this aim is complicated by the fact that competing Maori words exist for each island.
They include Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui) for the North Island and Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of greenstone) for the South Island.
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Under these circumstances I cannot understand - if they don't want to use "North" and "South" anymore - why they don't just adopt some of the Maori names officially! Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Failing that, any suggestions from RHPers as to what would would be two good names for the two main islands of New Zealand?
Originally posted by WajomaThe Board has wisely suggested naming the islands in Maori: Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu. That way their little slip-up will be thoroughly obscured by the holy war between the rednecks who take pride in their ignorance of Maori pronunciation and the pinot gris types who care-fu-lly e-nun-ci-ate every syllable to prove how right on they are.
http://pc.blogspot.com/2009/04/not-pj-tale-of-two-whatsits.html
Which side of that 'Holy War' would you be on I wonder.
The Maori names appeared on maps until just after the turn of the century when they just faded away.
The Maori names will end up listed on the maps again.
More controversy surrounds the name of New Zealand as Aotearoa has been used as the Maori name for NZ for ages but apparently only by North Island tribes. I wonder whether Aotearoa New Zealand will stay on passports or whether we will still have Maori and English renditions of the national anthem at sports events if south islanders don't like Aotearoa.
Laugh re sponsorship.... Not likely to be MacDonalds as they are changing to Wong Chans Burgers and Noodle Joints. KFC is King Fowl Chow. How long before Ford is Chinese owned? Will Chrysler be the first?
New Zealand will endure. North and South will stay regardless.