A petition to change New Zealand's name is gaining ground

After a robust campaign, Te Pati Māori, the political party representing New Zealand’s indigenous Polynesian people, announced it has collected 70,000 signatures on a petition to change the country’s name to “Aotearoa.” That’s enough support to compel the nation’s parliament to formally consider the proposal, which was first introduced last year.

The party also called on parliament to restore the original Māori names of all towns and cities across the country by 2026.