Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board is consulting on proposals to correct the spellings of a locality and a glacier, and to assign official names to two streams.
The proposals were submitted by individual members of the public and consultation is open for one month, closing on 27 November 2025.
Wī Wāka
A proposal has been received to correct the name of Waiwaka, a small rural locality near Eketāhuna, to Wī Wāka.
Waiwaka was named for Ngāti Hāmua rangatira (chief) Wī Wāka who lived in the area during the 1800s.
The name came from the name of ‘the Wiwaka section’ of the railway. The route of the railway in this area followed an original Māori track up and over ‘Wi Waka’s Saddle’, which was tunnelled through for the railway.
Various spellings have been used over the years and Waiwaka was added to maps in 1957. However, the correct spelling for the person is Wī Wāka, a transliteration of Will Walker.
To make a submission on this proposal, visit: Place name proposal - Wī Wāka
Sealy Glacier and Sealy Stream
A proposal has been received to correct the spelling of Sealey Glacier to Sealy Glacier.
The glacier is in the Olivine Range and flows into Sealy Stream. Both were named for mountaineer Eldred H. Sealy.
At the same time, the Board is seeking to formally recognise as official the name of Sealy Stream, which is already spelled correctly.
Make a submission on these proposals here: Place name proposal - Sealy Glacier, Sealy Stream
Waipuna Stream
A proposal has been received to name an unnamed stream, Waipuna Stream, in Waikawa near Picton.
Waipuna means 'spring water'.
Make a submission on this proposal here: Place name consultation - Waipuna Stream
Te whakapāpātanga tūmatanui mō ngā tono ingoa wāhi
E whakapāpā ana a Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board mō ngā tono kia whakatikaina te tuhia o tētahi wāhi me tētahi awa kōpaka, me te tapa hoki i ngā manga e rua ki ētahi ingoa mana.
I tāpaea ngā tono e ētahi mema o te marea tūmatanui, ā, e tuwhera ana ngā whakapāpātanga mō te marama kotahi, ka kati ai hei te 27 o Nōema 2025.
Wī Wāka
Kua tae mai tētahi tono kia whakatikaina te ingoa o Waiwaka, o tētahi wāhi tuawhenua iti e pātata ana ki Eketāhuna, ki te ingoa o Wī Wāka.
I tapaina a Waiwaka ki te ingoa o tētahi rangatira nō Ngāti Hāmua, o Wī Wāka, i noho rā ki te rohe i ngā rautau 1800.
I ahu mai te ingoa i te ingoa o 'te wāhanga Wiwaka' o te ara rerewhenua. I whāia e te ara rerewhenua o taua rohe te ara Māori taketake ki runga, ki tua hoki o 'Wi Waka's Saddle', i hurihia ai hei ana mō te rerewhenua.
Kua nui ngā tuhinga rerekē kua whakamahia i roto i ngā tau, ā, ka āpitihia a Waikawa ki ngā mahere i te tau 1957. Heoi, ko te tuhinga tika mō te tangata nei, ko Wī Wāka, he ingoa whakawhiti nō te ingoa o Will Walker.
E tukua ai he tāpaetanga ki te tono, me toro ki: Place name proposal - Wī Wāka
Sealy Glacier and Sealy Stream
Kua tae mai tētahi tono kia whakatikaina te tuhinga o Sealey Glacier ki a Sealy Glacier.
Kei Te Wāhipounamu te awa kōpaka nei, kei Olivine Range, ā, ka rere ki a Sealy Stream. I tapaina tahitia aua ingoa ki te kaieke maunga, ki a Eldred H. Sealy.
E haere kōtui ana tēnei ki tā te Poari whai kia mana hoki te ingoa o Sealy Stream, kua tika kē nei tōna tuhinga.
Tukuna he tāpaetanga mō te tono ki konei: Place name proposal - Sealy Glacier, Sealy Stream
Waipuna Stream
Kua tae mai tētahi tono kia tapaina tētahi manga ingoa-kore ki te ingoa o Waipuna Stream, i Waikawa, he wāhi e pātata ana ki Waitohi.
Ko te tikanga o Waipuna, ko “spring water”.
Tukuna he tāpaetanga mō te tono ki konei: Place name consultation - Waipuna Stream
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