Media Release
8 October 2008
For Immediate Release
Māori place names recognised as International Standard
E ngā mātā waka o te motu, tēnā koutou katoa.
The National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa is proud to announce a major milestone in the
international recognition of New Zealand’s English/Māori placenames. The U.S. Library of Congress has agreed to accept
New Zealand dual language place names for inclusion in Library of Congress Subject Headings, the de facto international
standard for subject headings. These headings will now be in bibliographic records available on the National
Bibliographic Database and for use worldwide.
“This is a fantastic achievement for the National Library and we are very proud of the people who made this happen. This
success is testament to our commitment to the recognition of our Māori placenames at an international level” Alison
Elliott - Director Content Services, National Library of New Zealand/Aotearoa
These place names are mostly the result of the Crown's settlement with Kai Tahu in 2003, when 88 South Island place
names were changed to dual language place names, the majority to joint English/Māori names. In April 2006, after much
discussion, the Library of Congress agreed to accept the New Zealand Geographic Placenames Database on the Land
Information New Zealand website as the authority for New Zealand placenames. Since then, guidelines for these subject
headings have been developed in consultation with the Library of Congress.
John Mohi – Kaiwahakahaere Māori (Māori, Pacific, International) National Library of New Zealand/Aotearoa highlighted
the importance of this development in saying “Ka wani kē hoki te reo Māori… this is a world first, it brings key te reo
Māori kupu (search terms) into library search engines and desktops around the world”
The first group of dual language place names submitted are mainly changes to existing subject headings, resulting in
changes to bibliographic records on the National Bibliographic Database. These are:
1. Aoraki/Mount Cook (N.Z.), formerly Cook, Mount (N.Z.)
2. Southern Alps/ Ka Tiritiri o te Moana (N.Z.), formerly Southern Alps (N.Z.)
3. Stewart Island/Rakiura (N.Z.), formerly Stewart Island (N.Z.)
4. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park (N.Z.), formerly Mount Cook National Park (N.Z.)
5. Westland/Tai Poutini National Park (N.Z.), formerly Westland National Park (N.Z.)
The new subject heading is Ashburton River/Hakatere (N.Z.)
Future changes and new proposals include:
Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere (N.Z.)
Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe (N.Z.)
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi (N.Z.)
Matiu/Somes Island (N.Z.)
Doubtful Sound/Patea (N.Z.)
ENDS