Most submissions oppose changing the name of Omiha on Waiheke Island

Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Plans to change the name of Omiha to Rocky Bay have been strongly opposed.

An attempt to change the name of a Waiheke Island village has attracted 223 objections.

Ten submissions supporting changing the name of Omiha to Rocky Bay were also lodged with The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa before the cut-off date on September 22.

Nobilangelo Ceramalus applied to change Omiha to Rocky Bay

The submission numbers will inform the geographic board about what the community thinks, but it will also look closely at the reasons in each submission before making a decision, a spokesperson said.

The board will consider a report on the submissions at its meeting on October 16.

Omiha Memorial Hall was built in the 1930s, but the name could look out of place if the bay's name is changed.

Auckland Transport signs point to Rocky Bay, rather than Omiha.

* Super idea, shame about the cost

* Hikoi against Kennedy Point marina development**

Piritahi Marae, Ngati Paoa and Waiheke Local Board opposed the proposal to change the name of Omiha.

The marae said in its submission it was 'saddening to yet again be defending the use of a traditional Māori name for a location, especially when the name has a long history'.

According to the marae's statement, the name stems from a woman of high rank, Miha, who arrived at Rangihoua inlet on Te Arawa waka in the 1300s.

Miha chose to stay on the land south of Rangihoua and the area was named Ōmiha to suggest she laid claim to the area or lived there.

'Ō' is used as a possessive prefix on the name.

The place name, Omiha, was recorded on a Maori Land Court map in 1865 and is still used widely today, the marae said.

'There is strong evidence of both contemporary use of the name Ōmiha as well as historic and Maori use of the name.

'It would be truly inappropriate for the voice of one to outweigh the voice of the many other Ōmiha residents in addition to that of local Māori,' the marae stated.

Nobilangelo Ceramalus, who lodged the application, claimed that despite widespread use of the name Rocky Bay, emergency services only have Omiha on their mapping systems.

Fire, police or ambulances could struggle to find someone needing help, he said.

Ceramalus also raised concerns about mail not being delivered and people struggling to find Rocky Bay, given that it is called Omiha on many maps.

He said the correct Maori name for the village now called Omiha is Kuakarau.