Mother Defends Her Daughter’s Name After School Staff Ridiculed and Shortened It
- A mother in New Zealand has recounted how she fought to preserve her daughter’s Maori name, Mahinarangi, after her nursery shortened it
- Mahinarangi, which means ‘moon in the sky’, is a name that reflects her identity, culture, and history
- The mother shared her story on Facebook and urged other parents to remind their children of the importance of their names
Paris Tautu was shocked when she learned that her daughter’s nursery in New Zealand had shortened her name from Mahinarangi to Rangi, claiming it was too hard to pronounce.
Mahinarangi, which means ‘moon in the sky’ in Maori, is a name that has been passed down through generations of her Ngāti Raukawa heritage. It reflects her identity, culture, and history, Mirror reported.
Source: Getty Images
But instead of respecting and celebrating her name, the nursery staff and some of the children mocked and ridiculed it, making Mahinarangi feel ashamed and embarrassed.
She stopped correcting people who mispronounced her name and lost the pride that came with it.
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Paris was outraged by this treatment of her daughter, who was only five years old at the time.
She said she felt sad and angry that, in Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand, a young girl had to face such discrimination and ignorance.
She also pointed out the hypocrisy of the nursery using Maori resources in their classes, but not bothering to learn how to say a Maori name properly.
Her post received hundreds of comments and reactions, many of them supportive and empathetic.
Some people shared their own experiences of having their names mispronounced or changed, while others offered advice and encouragement.
Some also praised Mahinarangi for having such a beautiful and meaningful name.
Young-looking mum dances with her daughters
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a 44-year-old mother showcased her age-defying looks while dancing with her 15 and 16-year-old daughters.
The trio synchronised their moves and the mother's youthful appearance captivated viewers worldwide.
The video featured the mother and her teenage daughters performing a popular TikTok dance routine and displaying impressive coordination and rhythm.
Despite being in her mid-40s, the mother's youthful appearance astounded netizens.
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Source: Legit.ng
