Origin of the name of New Zealand

• The origin of the name of New Zealand

As referred to its original inhabitants, where the "old" Zealand and whether the country can once again change the name?

Origin of the name of New Zealand

its current name New Zealand is required to one of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands - Zeeland. In the XVII century Dutch court under the direction of the navigator-explorer Abel Tasman reached the South Island, referring to the current New Zealand. Unknown shore cartographers designated Zeeland, which means "sea country". But to avoid confusion, the word nieuw added, and turned Nieuw Zeeland.

Origin of the name of New Zealand

For about 100 years, open land no one was interested. So far in 1769, their shores are not headed for a British explorer James Cook. So he studied in detail and described the perimeter of the island, some credited with their discovery him and not to Abel Tasman. By the way, Cook "anglitsiroval" in the name of the form in which it is known today throughout the world, - New Zealand, that is, translated into Russian - "New Zealand".

So that the "old" Zealand also have - or rather, they are even two. One is located in the Netherlands, mainly in the islands and headlands at the mouth of the Scheldt River. Another is the island of the same name, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark.

Origin of the name of New Zealand

But back to the new one. Indigenous peoples of the archipelago, the Maori, called Aotearoa (Aotearoa) country, which literally means "land of the long white cloud", "long light the world" or "the eternal country of the day." In some legends of the Māori Aotearoa - the name of the boat that belonged to the discoverer of these lands, in other variations, he found them, driven by long white clouds.

Origin of the name of New Zealand

At present, the name of Aotearoa is becoming increasingly popular among New Zealanders. Maori language is one of the three official languages ​​of the country, and the national anthem is usually performed on it first, that is, people often hear the old name. I must say, it seems to many a much more unique. Perhaps one day Aotearoa and will be the official name of the country, while New Zealand will remain only in history.