Support for Wellington to be called Te Whanganui-a-Tara following Māori Party's language policy announcement

Reporter Community News

A Māori Party proposal to change the name of Wellington to Te Whanganui-a-Tara has the support of city leaders.

Kaumātua and Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui chairman Kura Moeahu said he strongly supported the move to return place names to the original ingoa Māori. It would helps everyone understand the local history, he said. "There is a narration that goes with each of these names.

Wellington City Councillor Jill Day (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), who holds the Māori Partnerships portfolio, welcomed the announcement.

Commuters spoken to in Wellington by Stuff also supported the idea. Craig Lambert thought Te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui was a more inclusive alternative. ”It represents all people.”

“Many of our cities and towns were named after people who never came to Aotearoa, with no consideration of the names that were already in use,” Day said.

Fellow Councillor Tamatha Paul (Ngāti Awa and Waikato Tainui) said there were about 39 places called Wellington in the world.

A poll on Neighbourly with over 520 respondents was 81 per cent against a name change.