Apple Maps Now Shows Indigenous Place Names & Countries Around Aus & NZ

 

Apple Maps’ latest update now displays Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander place names and Countries around Australia and Maori lands and place names in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The update has been in the works for four years, and involved an in-depth collaborative and methodical approach in conjunction with Indigenous advisors, cartographers, Traditional Owners, language holders, and community members.

What are the updates?

Apple Maps users across the world will now be able to see Indigenous lands in Australia and New Zealand outlined and overlaid on the map. This includes reserves, Indigenous Protected Areas, Traditional Countries, and Aboriginal land trusts.

In addition, over 250 dual language place names have been added, meaning places like Mt Warning now display as Mt Warning/Wollumbin. These place names will also be pulled through to other apps that rely on Apple Maps, such as Weather and Find My, as well as third-party apps that use MapKit.

Users can also search First Nations place names, such as ‘Narrm’ instead of Melbourne, and be taken to the relevant location.

A new Aboriginal flag logo has also been added to the app’s search function when looking up Indigenous lands and places.

Indigenous land place cards now feature information about the Traditional Owners and can be curated by each community, including the ability to add multiple spellings of traditional place names, selected images, destinations on their land, and text in Indigenous language.

How has Apple sourced this info?

In Australia, the information has been sourced from language data published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), in collaboration with language centres, local language holders, Aboriginal Land Trusts, and ranger groups.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Apple worked with Indigenous cartographers and multiple iwi/Maori tribes to create the detailed place cards and map icons.

‘For Tūhourangi, this partnership with Apple Maps is more than just a technological collaboration – it reflects our role as kaitiaki (caretakers), ensuring the protection and accurate representation of our cultural heritage’, said Annie Balle from Tūhourangi iwi. ‘By bringing our stories to a global audience, we can uphold our narratives, safeguard our data sovereignty, and demonstrate how Indigenous knowledge and technology can work together to promote cultural understanding and sustainability.’

Apple believes these updates will give users a more comprehensive experience of the places they visit and live, and will help to share and preserve the stories found there.

The updates are similar to those that’ve been rolled out in the US and Canada in previous years.

Using Technology to Conserve Culture and Stories

The map updates are part of a larger initiative by Apple to advance the role of technology in preserving culture and enhancing education around the world.

As part of the initiative, Apple does on the ground work around Australia, supporting groups like Karrkad Kanjdji Trust (KKT) in West and Central Arnhem Land. By working with First Nations women’s ranger programs to combine traditional and cultural practices with cutting-edge science and tech, Apple assists with the crucial transfer of knowledge between generations.

‘At Karrkad Kanjdji Trust, we know that caring for Country is a deeply interconnected practice’, said Stacey Irving, KKT’s CEO.

‘This work is powerful because it weaves together First Nations leadership, traditional knowledge, science, technology, and community, creating a holistic approach to sustaining both people and place. It’s a privilege to work with organisations like Apple, who understand that real, lasting impact comes from embracing this multifaceted approach.’

Apple will extend its support to the KKT and open three new homeland schools to offer full-time, bicultural, and quality education to the children of rangers.

Apple also has grants that offer support to Worawa Aboriginal College in Victoria, Djamu Youth Justice Program in NSW, ID Know Yourself on Gadigal Country, Sydney, and Common Ground.

Images supplied by Apple