Story: Canterbury places

Rāpaki Māori church

There has been a Māori settlement at Rāpaki, on Lyttelton Harbour, since at least the time of Ngāi Tahu settlement of the area. After the land purchases of the 1840s, land for Māori was set aside there. The church, dedicated in 1869, is one of several historic buildings still standing. This watercolour was painted in 1871.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: B-009-029

by William Henry Raworth

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, Canterbury places – Lyttelton Harbour, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/10247/rapaki-maori-church (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 2 March 2009, updated 17 August 2015.

Comments

Awatea hutana
11 April 2018

Igrow up in rapaki at my tauas.the church needs attention. Ibet a lot of history is remembered there by a lot of people.kiaora