The New Zealand (Name of State) Bill, introduced to Parliament today, asserts that only the people of New Zealand, through their elected representatives, have the right to determine the official name of the nation. Not unelected bureaucrats. Not government departments. Not ideologically motivated public officials.
Over recent years, we’ve seen a quiet but deliberate attempt to replace our country's name. “Aotearoa” is being inserted across public documents, government agencies and media platforms, often without any democratic mandate or proper public debate. This is not cultural evolution.
The creeping normalisation of “Aotearoa” is not just misleading; it is historically flawed. Any honest historian or cultural authority will tell you that “Aotearoa” was never the original Māori name for New Zealand. In fact, the South Island’s principal iwi, Ngāi Tahu, went on record in 2021 stating clearly that “Aotearoa” historically referred only to the North Island. That is a far cry from the blanket name some now want to force upon the entire country
It was the colonial politician William Pember Reeves who helped popularise “Aotearoa” in the late 19th century, not pre-European Māori, and certainly not with any national consensus. Ironically, today’s cultural activists now champion this colonial invention in the name of decolonisation.
This Bill is not about denying heritage or culture. It is about upholding constitutional clarity, national unity and legal certainty. For decades, we have spent billions of dollars promoting New Zealand on the world stage, building global trust in our name, identity and brand. Undermining that hard-won recognition with an unofficial and historically contentious alternative only introduces confusion, both domestically and internationally.
The name New Zealand is recognised globally. It is how our nation appears on passports, treaties, trade agreements, international institutions and sporting uniforms. That name carries weight, legacy and legal standing.
NZ First’s position is simple that the name of our country must not be changed through stealth, ideology or bureaucratic overreach. Any such change must come from the people, and only the people.
The introduction of this Bill maybe a step toward defending democratic process, protecting historical truth and reaffirming our country’s official identity.
Our country is, and remains, New Zealand. Let’s keep it that way, unless New Zealanders themselves choose otherwise.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.
The creeping normalisation of “Aotearoa” is not just misleading; it is historically flawed. Any honest historian or cultural authority will tell you that “Aotearoa” was never the original Māori name for New Zealand. In fact, the South Island’s principal iwi, Ngāi Tahu, went on record in 2021 stating clearly that “Aotearoa” historically referred only to the North Island. That is a far cry from the blanket name some now want to force upon the entire country
It was the colonial politician William Pember Reeves who helped popularise “Aotearoa” in the late 19th century, not pre-European Māori, and certainly not with any national consensus. Ironically, today’s cultural activists now champion this colonial invention in the name of decolonisation.
This Bill is not about denying heritage or culture. It is about upholding constitutional clarity, national unity and legal certainty. For decades, we have spent billions of dollars promoting New Zealand on the world stage, building global trust in our name, identity and brand. Undermining that hard-won recognition with an unofficial and historically contentious alternative only introduces confusion, both domestically and internationally.
The name New Zealand is recognised globally. It is how our nation appears on passports, treaties, trade agreements, international institutions and sporting uniforms. That name carries weight, legacy and legal standing.
NZ First’s position is simple that the name of our country must not be changed through stealth, ideology or bureaucratic overreach. Any such change must come from the people, and only the people.
The introduction of this Bill maybe a step toward defending democratic process, protecting historical truth and reaffirming our country’s official identity.
Our country is, and remains, New Zealand. Let’s keep it that way, unless New Zealanders themselves choose otherwise.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.
9 comments:
Introduced into Parliament - but not yet selected from the biscuit tin for debate and vote? Even if it does, Peters knows Luxon/Nat will not support this.
“Any such change must come from the people, and only the people”.
You would think, but New Zealand has become a fully functioning apartheid ethnostate by stealth, ideology and bureaucratic overreach anyway Mr Peters. This seems to be what passes for “democracy” now, as input from “the people” is just not warranted and would be ignored anyway.
ABSOLUTELY, Matua.
Our country's name is New Zealand. !!!
Anon 6:45am - You’ve got it - just another bill that sounds like Winnie is doing something, when it’s really a big fat nothing going nowhere. It’s another piece of empty political theatre from Winston. NZ needs way more than that.
It was only known as New Zealand for centuries before a young upstart politician with her Marxist views decided to de- stabilize NZ by surreptitiously changing it to the A word.
Equally outrageous was her attempt to change the language to Maori te reo, the introduction of apartheid to every aspect of NZ life.
So they would have us known as Aotearoans? It doesn't have quite the ring to it, Aotearoans sounds like aliens in a children's cartoon.
O.K. some do fit the bill.
Not only have we not been consulted, but anyone suggesting that we should be consulted by referendum would be labeled 'racist', evidence of the totalitarian mindset of the Left.
Example: the bare-faced rigging of the ACT Treaty Principles Bill. Thinking voters will not forget this.
Clearly NZ is already at a frightening point: violence and unrest ( and legal action at the very least) occur any time that Maori do no not get their way. We are a country held to ransom with most MPs 100% focused on their own survivial in their well paid jobs. Too far gone to change?
Allen - it would actually make us all Aotearoaians, which rolls off the tongue nicely.
Still waiting for Stuff to finally use it, although it seems a step to far, even for them.
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