Mum Furious After Daycare Shorten Child's Name 'Because It's Too Hard' To Pronounce

A mother in New Zealand has shared her anger after she was told her daughter's name was being shortened at day care because it was "too hard" to pronounce.

Mahinarangi Tautu had just started to attend day care when her mum Paris was told that staff would refer to the five-year-old as "Rangi" instead of her actual name.

But Mahinarangi 's mum Paris, who is from Palmerston North and Ngāti Raukawa said she "will not let this happen" as it doesn't respect and honour her daughter's Māori heritage.

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"I am sad that in 2021, in Aotearoa, a 5-year-old girl has lost the pride that comes with her beautiful name," Paris wrote in a Facebook post, The NZ Herald reports.

Paris said her daughter's name is often mispronounced and mocked by her peers, leaving the young girl "embarrassed" and lacking the confidence to correct anyone.

"Can you imagine your child being too embarrassed to say their name because people won't make a decent effort to pronounce it properly?" she said.

"It made me so angry, especially because they'd use te ao Māori resources in her classes."

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The outraged mum also said that her ancestors experienced something similar, which has made her even more determined to ensure her daughter's name is pronounced correctly.

"My ancestors changed their original name from Perepe-Perana to Phillips because of colonisation," Tautu told the NZ Herald. "I will not let something similar happen with my daughter."

Mahinarangi's name translates to "moon in the sky". Paris explained that shortening it takes away its "mana" - a traditional Māori belief of an inherited spiritual power.

The name has been passed down through her ancestors and has a deep line of descent, known as whakapapa which indicates where someone is from. Removing the mana takes away the name's significance and is therefore seen as disrespectful.

Mahinarangi's name translates to

"It's important for our kids to be confident in their names, regardless of their ethnicity," Paris said.

"Our language isn't complicated, pronouncing a name properly is massive to us.

"Your name is your identity. Your parents give you your name for a reason."

Topics: Life News, Life, Real Life

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the 90s and prefers tea over coffee. Get in touch [email protected]

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