The Maori call New Zealand Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. According to a legend, the discoverer Kupe gave the islands this name after his daughter was watching the horizon and called βHe ao! He ao!β (βa cloud! a cloud!β). In fact, she had discovered the Great Barrier Island, which the Maori still call Aotea what means white cloud. Soon the Maori discovered the land mass beyond the island and named it Aotea Roa. | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
<Back> |