Story: Te hī ika – Māori fishing

Battling Te Wheke

Battling Te Wheke

The battle between Kupe and the giant octopus Te Wheke a Muturangi is depicted in this illustration by Cliff Whiting. Kupe, reputed to be the first person to discover New Zealand, and Ngake (or Ngahue) are often remembered in tradition for their role in slaying the creature.

Using this item

New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa
Reference: He korero purakau mo nga taunahanahatanga a nga tupuna: place names of the ancestors, a Maori oral history atlas. Wellington: New Zealand Geographic Board, 1990.
Mixed media by Cliff Whiting

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Paul Meredith, 'Te hī ika – Māori fishing - Tangaroa, god of the sea', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/6800/battling-te-wheke (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Paul Meredith, published 12 Jun 2006