Far North Mayor Moko Tepania with the council’s updated logo
Photo: Supplied / FNDC

The Far North District Council has changed its te reo title to better reflect the area’s traditional Māori name.

When the council was formed in the 1989 local government amalgamations, it was given the Māori name Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau ki te Raki.

However, Mayor Moko Tepania said that was not actually the name Māori used for the district.

He said the new te reo name, Te Kaunihera o Te Hiku o Te Ika, restored the area’s indigenous name.

Te Hiku o Te Ika translated as “the tail of the fish”.

Tepania said it was a small gesture, but one that showed the council was “walking the talk” in its goal of boosting the use of te reo within the organisation.

“Our district has the most te reo speakers per capita anywhere in the country. Last year, I was proud that our council adopted a te reo Māori policy. It shows the importance we place on our indigenous language.”

Tepania said the Far North District Council would remain the organisation’s legal name, and there was no cost to ratepayers beyond staff time required for tweaking the council logo.

The updated logo with the new te reo name would be rolled out first on digital platforms such as the council website and emails.

It would be applied to physical assets, such as signs and stationery, only as they were created or replaced.

Ahead of Waitangi Day commemorations was a fitting time to make the change, he said.