Public to have say on name change

GISBORNE District Council is seeking feedback from the community to gauge the level of support for a name change from Poverty Bay to the dual name Turanganui a Kiwa-Poverty Bay.

GDC agreed in February 2017 to research the name of the bay and engage with the community to put forward a naming application to the New Zealand Geographic Board (NZGB) Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa.

“Dual names recognise the special historical and cultural significance of both original Maori and non-Maori names,” said council director of transformation and relationships Keita Kohere.

“It’s a long-standing aspiration of many in our community to reinstate the name Turanganui a Kiwa for the coastal bay, promoting and recognising our bicultural heritage.”

When Captain James Cook made his first New Zealand landfall in October 1769, he called the area Poverty Bay because it afforded him and his crew “no one thing we wanted”.

Ms Kohere said place names are important reflections of the history, culture and identity of a place, its location and its community.

“Turanganui a Kiwa, which means ‘the great standing place of Kiwa’ is familiar to most people in the district as the Maori name for the Gisborne area.

“The Turanga iwi of Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Rongowhakaata and Ngai Tamanuhiri all continue to maintain and uphold the cultural knowledge associated with the Turanganui a Kiwa name.

“Discussion and discontent with the name Poverty Bay has been voiced by our people and early settlers in our district dating back to as early as 1886.”

A formal name change means the names would be officially recognised by Government, local authorities and on maps.

“We want to tell the story of the names and find out from the community if they would support the change to a dual name.”

Gisborne district councillor Malcolm MacLean, who has been a vocal opponent of name changes since standing for the council in 2016, said he was not opposed to Poverty Bay getting a dual name but would like to see the city name of Gisborne remain as it is.

Poverty Bay and Gisborne are two names that are easily referenced internationally and by tourists visiting the area.

He does not believe the connotations of poverty have any relevance. Sports teams from Poverty Bay are known around the country and the world and there is considerable wealth in the region he said.

Research and information about the name change is available on the council’s website.

People have the opportunity to complete a survey online or at GDC’s customer services in Fitzherbert Street, Te Puia Springs, HB Williams Memorial Library or by emailing namechange@gdc.govt.nz by Friday February 9.

Council staff will also be at the Anzac Park Waitangi Day event to hand out information, answer questions and complete surveys with the community from 2pm Tuesday, February 6.