Story: Ngāti Awa

Rangitāiki Plain

Rangitāiki Plain

Ngāti Awa people live on the Rangitāiki Plain. This view looking west shows the Whakatāne River mouth in the foreground. The sandspit in the middle of the picture is the Ōpihi Spit, known to Ngāti Awa as ‘Ōpihi whanaunga kore’ (Ōpihi the relationless). Ōpihi was an important Ngāti Awa burial site, and the name probably refers to the fact that in death there were no favourites. Everyone came to this place in the end.

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Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Jock Phillips

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How to cite this page:

Layne Harvey, 'Ngāti Awa - Origins', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4172/rangitaiki-plain (accessed 4 May 2024)

Story by Layne Harvey, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Mar 2017