Member Article

New Zealand not called what we think it's called

After it was discovered earlier this week that New Zealand’s two main islands don’t actually have legally registered names, inhabitants of the country are to be given a vote on what to call the unofficially-named North and South Islands.

The country’s Geographic Board, which assigns and approves place name changes, has announced consultations on alternative English and Maori names.

The Geographic Board wants to allow English or Maori names to be used in the future. 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.

Here at bdaily we’re keen on the idea of naming the islands in honour of their role as stand-ins for locations in the Lord of the Rings films. Mordor and Gondor, anyone?

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .