Aotearoa

Aotearoa is the name Maori, the first NZ settlers, gave New Zealand when they first arrived on these shores more than 1,000 years ago. Aotearoa can be broken up into ‘ao’, meaning ‘cloud’, ‘tea’, meaning ‘white’, and ‘roa’, meaning ‘long’, and can thus be translated to ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.

Kupe Voyages from Hawaiki 

According to Maori legend, the great Polynesian navigator Kupe and his family left their homeland Hawaiki in a canoe. After a long journey Kupe’s wife Hine Te Aparangi spotted the islands of New Zealand lying beneath a long cloud. Kupe therefore named New Zealand Aotearoa or Land of the Long White Cloud.

Maui Fishes up New Zealand

According to Maori legend, New Zealand was created long before Kupe and his family discovered the Land of the Long White Cloud.

One day, the demi-god Maui hid in his brothers’ waka (canoe) to go out fishing with them. Out on the ocean he cast his magic fishhook and suddenly felt a strong tug. After a lot of effort Maui managed to pull Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui) to the surface, the land which is known today as New Zealand’s North Island. Worried that the gods might be angry about this, Maui went to make peace with them. In the meantime, however, his brothers began fighting over the land, bashing away at it and creating the many mountains and valleys of the North Island.

New Zealand’s South Island is known as Te Waka a Maui (the waka of Maui) and New Zealand’s third largest island, Stewart Island, is known as Te Punga a Maui (the anchor of Maui) which held Maui’s waka as he pulled in the giant fish.

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Not sure how to pronounce Aotearoa and other Maori words? Check out our Maori Pronunciation Guide. To hear more Maori myths and learn about the fascinating Maori culture simply browse our Maori cultural experiences!