North Island & South Island

The Geographic Board is looking to give the North Island and South Island official names in English and Maori.

The likely Maori names are Te Ika a Maui for the North Island and Te Wai Pounamu for the South Island. Te Ika a Maui translated as “the fish of Maui”, based on the Maori myth that the island was formed by Maui’s gigantic catch, and Te Wai Pounamu as “the place of greenstone”.

Can’t say I have a problem with that. The current names are staying (in fact being made official) but they are very boring and over time the Maori versions may become more popular.

I don’t think you legislate these things, you let society move at its own pace. The Maori version of the National Anthem has become hugely popular over time (even if the words challenge some people). And certain Maori words such as whanau have become absolutely mainstream.