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Story: When was New Zealand first settled?

Carved post, Arataki visitor centre

Carved post, Arataki visitor centre

This carved post stands outside the visitor centre in the Waitakere Ranges, west of Auckland. It depicts some of the ancestors of the Te Kawerau-a-Maki sub-tribe. The earliest ancestor, Tiriwā, appears at the top. Below him are Hape (senior priest on the Tainui canoe), Hoturoa (captain of the Tainui), Maki (a famous warrior), Te Kawerau-a-Maki (Maki’s son), and Te Hawiti (Maki’s great-grandson). This shows how direct blood lines (Maki and his descendants) can be found interwoven with earlier ancestors (Tiriwā, Hape and Hoturoa) in a genealogy.

About this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Melanie Lovell-Smith

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How to cite this page:

Geoff Irwin and Carl Walrond. 'When was New Zealand first settled?', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 21-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/when-was-new-zealand-first-settled/2/3