A mother from New Zealand has spoken out after a nursery school told her they would shorten her daughter's name because it was "too hard" to pronounce. Paris Tautu, who is proud of her Māori heritage, named her daughter Mahinarangi, meaning "moon in the sky" in Māori. However, staff said they would call the child Rangi.
Ms Tautu objected, saying this would change the name's original meaning and remove its mana—the supernatural force of prestige and power in Māori culture. She told the New Zealand Herald: "My ancestors changed their original name from Perepe-Perana to Phillips because of colonisation. I will not let something similar happen with my daughter."
Despite her efforts, Ms Tautu discovered that Mahinarangi's name was still being mispronounced, and her daughter's attempts to correct people sparked laughter among peers. In a Facebook post, Ms Tautu wrote: "Can you imagine your child being too embarrassed to say their name because people won't make a decent effort to pronounce it properly? I am sad that in 2021, in Aotearoa, a five-year-old girl has lost the pride that comes with her beautiful name."
Ms Tautu taught her daughter to break down her name into single syllables to help others pronounce it correctly. She urged parents to remind children of the importance and cultural significance of their names, saying: "It's important for our kids to be confident in their names, regardless of their ethnicity."
