Editorial: Identity rests in names

Captain Cook: "What's that island to the north?"

Sailor: "I'm not sure sir."

Captain Cook: "Then let it be the North Island. What's that land mass to the south?"

Sailor: "To be sure sir, it must be the South Island."

A few week later ...

"Sir, we've spotted another island, just south of the South Island."

"Well done Stewart!"

And so on and so on.

The North Island. The South Island.

The origin of New Zealand's main islands are hardly imaginative and certainly not a conversation starter. And neither are official names, it seems.

The New Zealand Geographic Board intends to rectify this and is also proposing Maori alternatives that will be officially recognised.

For the North Island, Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui).

For the South Island, Te Wai Pounamu (waters of greenstone) appears to be the frontrunner.

Te Waka a Maui (the canoe or vessel of Maui) is another option.

In time, perhaps we may come to simply refer to the islands as Maui and Pounamu.

A sense of place is important, and knowing where we come from and our standing place - turangawaewae - is important also.

Hailing from the North Island evokes little genealogical sentiment for me personally, it's a broad brushtroke of a name. A point on the compass.

Although the term South Island or South Islander has evolved and carries descriptive weight, I think.

Consider the term "South Islander" and it evokes a certain type of person. Hardy, rugged, resourceful?

Consider the term North Islander. What does it mean?

Ask a South Islander to consider what "North Islander" means and I'm not sure the response would be entirely complimentary.

If we are ever to live up to the slightly disingenuous image of "one nation" that we like to present internationally, then changing the islands' names could be a good way to engender greater identity, and move toward truly being one people.