this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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Im in two minds about this. saying that, absolutely should be an option.
Maori names for areas I fully agree with as they had names before, but for individual towns that were European settlements and named accordingly it may be a bit harder as two close towns can have very different weather.
I dunno, there are common names in both Māori and English. I don't see a problem with making Māori names more commonly known though actions like this at a time specifically intended to build the country's Māori knowledge.
I think it's a different conversation from the decision to change the name of a town to be referred to a new name in both Māori and English.
Oh, the ones that have both can absolutely have a name change for a week.
My concern is places that never had a Maori name (as they were settled and named from europeans) being given a name for the sake of Maori language week that was never commonly used.
Two points:
Maori were pretty much all over before Europeans, in a lot of cases I'm sure they had a name for an area that later became a European settlement
Even if they didn't, why should Te Reo be frozen in time at 1840? All languages evolve and take on new words and so on. Why shouldn't it incorporate new words for things and places that didn't exist before?
That not really the point camper was making though, is it? If a town or city was initially named with an English name, how is it fair to rename that area, and expect everyone to know what you're talking about?
Because it's really hard to learn one new word, amirite?
Is there only one place in NZ?
Oh right, I forgot NZ has many places but lacks google.
Naturally when I've travelled overseas every place name was in English and I never had to trouble myself rubbing two braincells together!
🙄
Not sure how overseas travel is really relevant, but whatever.