Story: Ngāti Maniapoto

Maniapoto’s cave

Maniapoto’s cave

In his last years Maniapoto lived in a cave in the limestone region of Waitomo. A large eel which lived in the stream below the cave was adopted as a pet by the old man and thus escaped the normal fate reserved for fine fat eels. Maniapoto’s farewell to his people was, ‘Stick to that, the straight-flying cormorant’, which has become the tribal motto.

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How to cite this page:

Tūhuatahi Tui Adams and Paul Meredith, 'Ngāti Maniapoto - The ancestor Maniapoto', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/956/maniapotos-cave (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Tūhuatahi Tui Adams and Paul Meredith, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 22 Mar 2017