.iwi.nz and .maori.nz domain name space

Language – it’s something we use every day, from the most casual conversation to the formality of education, government, and business. We often take it for granted. And, as many of us know, language is living – it evolves and transforms to meet our ever-changing needs.

Here in Aotearoa we have two official languages: te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (14-20 September 2020). People and organisations across the country are uniting around a shared goal: Kia Kaha te Reo Māori – Let’s make the Māori language strong.

In the .nz domain name space, domain names can be registered that end in .maori.nz and .iwi.nz. These second level domains give domain name holders unique identifiers that allow for greater meaningfulness in their domain name registrations. The way the spaces work, means they also cater for macronised vowels (think ā, ē, ī, ō, ū). These special characters are not found in the English language.

Like most other second levels, .maori.nz is unmoderated, meaning anyone can register a .maori.nz domain name.

The .iwi.nz space, however, is moderated, with several restrictions on who can register in the space. Full details on the requirements can be found here: https://dnc.org.nz/moderated-second-levels

The .iwi.nz domain name space is moderated by Karaitiana Taiuru, who approves .iwi.nz registrations.