Parihaka: Hodgson spells it out clearly

It's official - Whangarei's iconic city mountain has been renamed Parihaka.
And while Whangarei Maori are rejoicing that the historical "spelling mistake" has been corrected, opponents are vowing not to let the matter rest.
Minister for Land Information Pete Hodgson has accepted the New Zealand Geographic Board's recommendation to change the spelling of Mt Parahaki to Mt Parihaka.
Mr Hodgson, who grew up in Whangarei, made his decision after considering a detailed report from the Geographic Board about the issue. He was confident that Mt Parihaka is the original Maori name of this landmark.
"I am confident that the Geographic Board has followed a good process under the Geographic Board Act. The Geographic Board made its recommendation after considering all submissions and carrying out its own investigations," Mr Hodgson said.
Whangarei kaumatua Raumoa Kawiti welcomed the decision, saying all Whangarei Maori would be celebrating.
"It's really great news," Mr Kawiti said when the Northern Advocate broke the news to him late yesterday.
"It is significant to Maori that it has been returned to its original name. It means a lot to us, as there's no real meaning of Parahaki, but Parihaka - a cliff where a haka was performed - goes right back to our ancestors.
"It must have been misunderstood in the past, but it's great that it has now been returned to the name created by our ancestors."
Mr Kawiti said Whangarei iwi and hapu now wanted the Whangarei District Council to push ahead with plans to rename the city's Hatea River as Hoteo River.
"That's the river's correct name and that's what we want to see."
Mr Kawiti was not aware of any other Whangarei features that had incorrect Maori names.
But Whangarei-based Act list MP Muriel Newman, who organised a public poll and meeting on the issue, has vowed to keep up the fight against what she calls "political correctness gone mad".
"I'm absolutely appalled at this decision and people don't want it," she said.
The MP carried out an informal poll on the issue and of the almost 2500 responses she received, 94 percent opposed the name change.
"That means that the name change has almost no public support at all," she said.
Ms Newman said she would explore her options for challenging the name change, including looking at a judicial review.
A judicial review would ask the High Court to look at the procedure used and if the board or the minister did anything untoward in reaching the decision.
"We researched this issue extensively and could find absolutely no evidence to support changing the name. If we go back to the original writings about the Ngai Tuhuhu people that lived there in the 1700s, it was called Parahaki," Ms Newman said.
"The reason for that is a pa, on one side - rahaki - of the hill. That makes perfect sense."
The contentious issue of what the landmark should be called has created a mountain of debate since the Whangarei District Council first contemplated changing the name. In 2003, local kaumatua Te Ihi Tito asked the council to change the spelling of Parahaki to Parihaka. The council supported the change and called for public submissions before referring the matter to the Geographic Board.
Whangarei Mayor Pamela Peters was glad a resolution had been reached.
"I know from the interest this matter has generated that there will be many out there who are really pleased with this result, while at the same time, there will be a number who vocally oppose it," Mrs Peters said.
"I am satisfied that the New Zealand Geographic Board undertook its own research and consulted widely, held hearings and considered all the evidence before makings its recommendation."