Why use Aotearoa as New Zealand when it is not.

Question

The term Aotearoa is not the name for New Zealand and should not be used as it creates confusion. It is a mythical name and should not be used to search with. All historical records refer to New Zealand.

Answer 1

Actually, I think it is.  It's the Maori name for New Zealand.

Comments

It may well be considered that but for the purpose of people doing searches from the rest oft he world it does not make sense to use it. English is the universal language used throughout the world for this reason.

Answer 2

Maori is an official language of New Zealand, and is used in all sorts of legal settings eg opening of a Court setting, in which people appearing have the option of speaking in either Maori or English or another official language - sign language.

 Aotearoa was used as the Maori name when I was at primary school in the 1960s and appears as one of the country's names on passports, amongst other government documents.

Comments

Many countries have their own language but for the purposes of researching English will be understood. All things official in New Zealand use English to ensure clarity. Even passports.

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The passport also says Uruwhenua Aotearoa on the front cover. It's perfectly appropriate for profiles of Māori people from before colonisation, or their descendants or allies today, to use Aotearoa in locations. Doing so does not appear to generate a WikiTree suggestion.

Edited to add: Also, see for example

https://wikitree.sdms.si/default.htm?report=srch1&Query=Deutschland

Answer 3

Lester, while New Zealand may have been used as the name of the country after European discovery, Māori did not have the concept of one name for the whole country. The name New Zealand could be considered imposed on Māori by tauiwi (non-Māori) from 1642, more so after 1769 and at least with some legal standing from 1840. I will accept that Aotearoa was probably not used by Māori until about 1860. However, modern Māori seem reasonably comfortable with that usage. Few profiles use Aotearoa on WikiTree. I have seen some with Nouvelle Zelande as well on the profiles of French speakers. The use of Aotearoa is an attempt, at least, to honour the Treaty, and I am sure in time will become the official name in all spheres.