Have a say on district name

PLACE names are a fundamental part of everyday life - helping us to know where we are and where we're going, and preserving the memory of our ancestors and the lands they settled.

Without standardised, consistent and accurate place names, life would be filled with confusion. Even the simplest things - such as checking weather reports - would become complicated, if not impossible, exercises.

As New Zealand's national place-naming authority, the New Zealand Geographic Board is responsible for making place names official and ensuring they are used correctly on maps and charts, so that the question of "where" is easily answered.

The board also has a responsibility to safeguard the place-naming traditions, culture and heritage brought to New Zealand by its various communities.

Knowing the stories behind place names adds to our sense of identity and belonging, helping us better understand who we are, where we are from, and the importance of those who came before us.

This relates directly to the proposal - currently out for public consultation - from the Wanganui District Council seeking to add an "H" to the name of the district and correct the spelling to Whanganui district.

If agreed, the change would then allow the council to change its local authority name to reflect the corrected spelling - Whanganui District Council.

By seeking to correct the spelling, the proposal also recognises the origin and meaning of "Whanganui" - its association with Kupe leaving a contingent to wait, or "whanga", at the estuary of the Whanganui River while he explored the interior. The proposal points out that "wanga" has no meaning in Maori. These factors are consistent with those considered in 2009, when the board received a proposal to change the spelling of the town name from Wanganui to Whanganui.

The result of this was the then Land Information Minister's decision to assign official alternative names "Wanganui" or "Whanganui", people being able to choose for themselves which one to use.

There is a difference to this current process, however. While the names for the town were able to be assigned as alternative names under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 2008, alternative names are not an option for local authority districts.

The district name will either remain as Wanganui or it will be changed to Whanganui - and the views of the public can help.

New Zealand has a rich and diverse cultural history, and we all have an important role to play in ensuring it is reflected in the places and features that are named around us.

Anyone can propose a name for the board to consider, and anyone can make a submission on proposals put up for consultation.

However, it should be remembered that the board is interested in the reasons provided with submissions, and that the process is not a vote.

Public consultation on the proposed name Whanganui district closes on August 28, and I encourage everyone to make a submission so that their views can be considered.

Mark Dyer is the chair of the New Zealand Geographic Board.