The famed ‘Ka mate’ haka – well known for being performed before rugby games – was composed by Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha as he hid from pursuers on an island in Lake Rotoaira. He was concealed in a kūmara (sweet potato) pit, with the local chief’s wife squatting above him. The lake is also a reservoir of water for hydroelectric power generation.
Listen to a Roadside Story about Lake Rotoaira and the origins of the haka. Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.
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YouTube: Manatu Taonga's channel
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