This year for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Palmerston North City Council collaborated with Rangitāne o Manawatū to create a mini-campaign on how to pronounce Māori place names in Papaioea (Palmerston North).
Pronunciation of some Māori place names in Manawatū seems to be firmly rooted in the pioneering days of the 1880s. Places like Āpiti, Pohangina and Rangiwahia have proven to often be too much of a mouthful for locals to get their head around, let alone their vowel sounds.
The council campaign features seven videos where students Ohomairangi Te Awa-Atea Whaiapu and Aareta Ruka-kea Mohi pronounce some common placenames around the city.
The locations to be featured over the week include Ahimate Park, Manawatū River, Te Motu o Poutoa, Aokautere, Rangitāne, Mangaone Stream, and Te Marae-o-Hine.
The council says te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a good time for everyone to engage and learn about places in their own backyard.
