Central Otago council rejects Maniototo/Māniatoto change

Wednesday, 29 May 2024

The Maniototo Community Board has decided to retain the incorrect te reo spelling of its name for now.

Central Otago mayor Tim Cadogan has stood against his council as a lone voice supporting a Māori name correction in the district.

The Central Otago District Council voted to maintain the incorrect spelling of the Maniototo Community Board, despite a call from rūnaka for change on Wednesday.

Professor Kyla Russell told councillors the correct spelling should be Māniatoto, meaning red plains - referring to the area’s native tussock spread across the plain.

The name Maniototo had no meaning in te reo Māori, she said.

Many councillors acknowledged the error but did not support a change through the council, as it was not supported by the Maniototo Community Board.

Broadcaster Scotty Morrison says some - like mana, kai, whare and whānau - 'are pretty normal in the New Zealand vernacular'. (Video first published September 5, 2023.)

Board member and councillor Stu Duncan said it was one of the toughest and most galvanising decisions the board faced.

At least 90% of the community wished to retain the current name, he said.

The name Māniatoto refers to the area’s native tussock spread across the plain.

Many were people who had built facilities named “Maniototo”, and they were passionate.

There was no point in having community boards if the council did not listen to their voice, he said.

Cr Tamah Alley said the name should be corrected but it needed to be embraced by the community.

To move against the community wishes would damage the relationships between the council and local groups.

Cr Neil Gillespie suggested that whatever decision the council made it was likely to be appealed.

Central Otago district mayor Tim Cadogan is a lone dissenter as his council votes to retain the incorrect spelling of the Maniototo Community Board. (File photo)

Cadogan said he respected the different opinions in the area and believed iwi’s position should be respected too.

Making the correction now would only change the name on an agenda paper, but would lead to further changes in the future.

It was a difficult decision, but a mistake was made in the translation of the te reo name, which was probably unwittingly reinforced by the council naming of its wards in 1989, he said.

All councillors voted to retain the spelling of Maniototo, with Cadogan having his objection noted.

He said it had been a useful exercise.

“Like so many in the community I wasn’t aware of this. I’ve learned a great deal,” he said.

Council communications and documents had been using the spelling preferred by Māori for two years.

The NZ Gazetteer listed the official name for the region as Maniototo.