Poland in New Zealand

On May 26, 2023, at the initiative of the Polish Embassy and Tararua City Council, the Pukaha National Wildlife Center organized an official naming ceremony for the newborn kiwi bird. By the decision of two Maori tribes (iwis) , Rangitane o Tamaki nui-a-Rua and Rangitane o Wairarapa, it was named Pōrana, which means "Poland" in the Maori language. With this extraordinary gesture, the local community celebrated the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Poland and New Zealand. In addition to the symbolic dimension, as the kiwi is the national symbol of New Zealand, the name Pōrana in this particular reserve marked the exceptional importance of the Tararua region with its town Pahiatua. The town was a place of a transit camp for Polish orphans who came from Siberia in 1944, the so-called " Pahiatua Children ".

The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomats of accreditation countries and local authorities along with descendants of Pahiatua Children. The ceremony was accompanied by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque dedicated to the history of " Pahiatua Children ".