Shit Street

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From The Sydney Morning Herald:

Maori living in a number of New Zealand towns have - not to put too fine a point on it - been living in Shit Street for years.

Their road name signs actually read Kaka Street and, having been erected by predominantly English-speaking local councils, are supposed to be the name of a native parrot.

But Maori say kaka in their language means excrement, while the parrot that councils are trying to honour is either spelled "Kaakaa" or should have two macrons to indicate the vowels are long.

The local council in the North Island town of Tokoroa has now agreed to add the macrons to Maori street names following protests from people such as language teacher Chris Mckenzie, who complained that Kaka Street was 10 metres away from the town's only Maori school.

"It means shit street," the New Zealand Herald quoted him as saying today.

"We drive past it every day, and my kids crack up every time they see it. I knew it was wrong, and it was time it was changed."

Mayor Neil Sinclair said Maori was an official language and it was important to correct the spelling.

"I think it is part of our past arrogant Pakeha [European] way," the paper quoted him as saying.

"If I put up a French name I would make quite sure we spelt it properly."

The Herald said the error occurred in many towns and cities.

Cr Sinclair said it was amazing that his council was the only one planning to rectify it.