Hon Tariana Turia
MP for Te Tai Hauauru
Co-Leader of the Maori Party
17 September 2009
Media Statement

Turia welcomes board’s decision

Tariana Turia says the New Zealand Geographic Board’s decision to spell Whanganui correctly is the right one.

"I have felt deeply moved by this decision, which confirms the wisdom of my tupuna, of my whakapapa, of the river, of the people,” Mrs Turia said.

“This is a great day and I applaud the board members for such an historic decision.

“I also applaud the tangata whenua of Whanganui – a patient people who have an enduring spirit when it comes to seeking justice and righting the wrongs.

“It is incredibly uplifting to look through the submissions and to see the strength of support from people right across New Zealand who sought to recognise the distinctive Maori heritage of Whanganui.

“There were many sound reasons put forward to the board – that including the ‘h’ reverses the historical wrong; it honours the oral history of our ancestors; it is derived from the river; it gives mana to the language and the people of Whanganui; and it is simply the right thing to do.

“Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori also advised the board that there is no such word as ‘wanga’ in the Maori lexicon.”

Whanganui was the name given to the area by the ancestor Hau of the Aotea waka over 600 years ago.

“The challenge we will all face now, is the vital need to bring all the people of Whanganui together in understanding the significance of this decision,” Mrs Turia said.

ENDS

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