New Zealand has not officially changed its name, but the Māori name, Aotearoa (meaning "land of the long white cloud"), is increasingly used alongside or in place of "New Zealand," appearing on passports, banknotes, and in official titles, reflecting a growing recognition and use of the Māori language and culture. While some push for a legal change to Aotearoa, the government currently favors the dual usage of Aotearoa New Zealand, with many New Zealanders using both terms interchangeably.
Te Pāti Māori launched a petition to rename the country, arguing that New Zealand was a colonial name imposed by European settlers, while Aotearoa better reflected the nation's indigenous roots.
The Oxford Dictionary of English (2011) defines 'Pakeha' as 'a white New Zealander'.
'Aotearoa New Zealand'.
Information on using the term Aotearoa is on page 30 of the guide. The Ministry does not have an explicit policy on the use of Aotearoa. However, the general convention is to use Aotearoa New Zealand in the first instance and just New Zealand in following iterations.
Recent census figures show the number of Māori has surpassed one million people, which means one in five New Zealanders is now of Māori descent.
The Australian Aborigines and the New Zealand Máori are not related in modern origin. The Aborigines originated in Africa and migrated to Australia about 40,000 years ago. The Máori migrated to the New Zealand islands from Polynesia about 5,000 years ago.
Noa is the opposite of Tapu and refers to ordinary, everyday things such as food or alcohol. Those two should be kept separated. That's why you should avoid sitting on pillows and touching or passing food over a person's head, since it's considered very sacred by Māori people.
Kia ora can be used to wish somebody life and health—the word ora used as a noun means "life, health and vitality". It might also be used as a salutation, a farewell or an expression of thanks. It also signifies agreement with a speaker at a meeting, being as it is from a culture that prizes oratory.
The “New Zealand (Name of State) Bill” confirms that 'New Zealand' is our country's official name, and it is only parliament and the people, not bureaucrats, government departments, or officials, that have the authority to make decisions about the name of the country.
During the First World War, New Zealand soldiers were referred to as 'kiwis', and the nickname stuck. Eventually, the term Kiwi was attributed to all New Zealanders, who proudly embraced the moniker. Just like the bird, New Zealanders are unique, adaptable and a little quirky.
Until 1986, the census required at least 50 per cent Māori ancestry to claim Māori affiliation. Currently, in most contexts, authorities require some documentation of ancestry or continuing cultural connection (such as acceptance by others as being of the people); however, there is no minimum ancestry requirement.
No, Māori and Samoan are not the same; they are distinct Polynesian peoples with shared ancestry but separate cultures, languages, and histories, though they are related and both come from the larger Polynesian family. While they have common Polynesian roots, Samoans are from Samoa and American Samoa, speaking Samoan, while the Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand (Aotearoa), speaking Te Reo Māori, and their traditions, like the Haka (Māori) versus Siva Tau (Samoan), differ.
New Zealanders—Kiwis for those in the know—are famous for speaking in their own unique dialect.
From there, a succession of migrant waves colonised the rest of eastern Polynesia, as far as Hawaiʻi in the north, the Marquesas Islands and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the east, and lastly, New Zealand in the far south.
Not all Māori have the same connection to the name Aotearoa, which was originally used to describe New Zealand's North Island only. However, it is often used by non-Māori out of respect for indigenous people.
The average person would use New Zealand. Unless of course they were speaking Maori, then Aotearoa would always be used. I know Aotearoa used to be only the name for the North Island but is now used as a Maori term for New Zealand entirely.
New Zealand has a growing economy and is viewed as a favourable destination due to the multitude of job opportunities. When comparing the cost of living in New Zealand vs South Africa the former is approximately 93%2 costlier.
New Zealand as an Australian state
One of the reasons that New Zealand chose not to join Australia was due to perceptions that the indigenous Māori population would suffer as a result.
Māori swear words, or kanga, often derive from insults about body parts or actions, with strong examples including Pōkokōhua (boiled head, a strong curse), Pokotiwha, and Pōpō, though context is key, as many terms are neutral in isolation but become offensive when combined or used aggressively, expressing anger or contempt. While Te Reo Māori has ways to express outrage, it's less about specific "bad words" and more about the powerful combination of words, similar to English.
To say "hello" in "Kiwi" (New Zealand), the most common and versatile greeting is Kia ora (pronounced kee-a OR-ah), a traditional Māori phrase that means "hello," "welcome," "thank you," or is used to wish someone well, showing respect for the local culture. You might also hear informal English greetings like "Hey," "Hi," or "G'day," but Kia ora is the quintessential New Zealand greeting.
The Māori word for "anus" or "bumhole" is often kōtore, but other terms like whero, ene, or hene can also be used, with the exact context and nuance depending on the speaker and situation.
This is because it was believed that others could find these body parts and place makutu on you. Cutting your hair and fingernails at night time meant that it would be easy for others to get a hold of these body parts and do harm to you.
It is particularly crude to pick at your nose in public. Spitting in public places and/or in front of people is considered extremely rude. It is common for New Zealanders to greet people with a brief 'Hello' when you walk past them. It is expected you respond with a greeting in return or a smile of acknowledgement.
In Māori culture, sticking out your tongue during the haka dance is a sign of defiance and readiness for battle! It's a symbol of fearlessness and strength that's become an iconic part of New Zealand's heritage.