Ten thousand Māori place name audio clips have been added to New Zealand Gazetteer, helping to preserve the Māori language.

The New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, NZGB) has reached a major milestone following the incorporation of the 10,000th audio clip of Māori place names into the official New Zealand Gazetteer.

The milestone coincides with the annual Te Wiki o te Reo Māori —  ‘Māori Language Week’ — which is sponsored by the New Zealand Government to encourage and promote the understanding and use of the Māori language (te reo Māori).

According to Toitū Te Whenua LINZ, adding the voice clips to the Gazetteer — an online resource listing more than 54,000 official and unofficial place names — reflects a commitment to making te reo Māori more accessible and supporting its everyday use across Aotearoa New Zealand.

For the NZGB it’s also about pronunciation and spelling to reflect the correct meaning.

“Reaching 10,000 Māori place names is testament to the dedication and expertise behind this work, which started in 2022,” said NZGB Chairperson and Surveyor-General, Anselm Haanen.

“It reflects our commitment to making pronunciation guidance accessible for everyone. These audio clips support the revitalisation of te reo Māori and ensure the stories of our place names endure.”

The voice behind this work is Ms Te Haumihiata Mason, who grew up in Ruatoki and has devoted much of her life to the Māori language.

“Correctly pronouncing place names pays courteous regard to place and story, to the language and culture of those who named them, and their descendants,” she said.

The NZGB is New Zealand’s national authority for official geographic naming. It maintains the Gazetteer, which provides authoritative information for maps, charts and location services.

You can search for and hear the Māori place names on the New Zealand Gazetteer.