Story: Ngāi Tahu

Rākaihautū (1st of 3)

Rākaihautū

Rākaihautū, captain of the Uruao canoe, is one of the founding ancestors of Waitaha, an older South Island tribe. He is credited with exploring the South Island's mountains, and digging out its great lakes. At Lincoln University in Canterbury, a sculpture by Chris Booth commemorates Rākaihautū’s exploits. It is made from stones that were eroded from the Southern Alps to form the Canterbury Plains.

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

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How to cite this page:

Te Maire Tau, 'Ngāi Tahu - Ngāi Tahu and Waitaha', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/1640/rakaihautu (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Te Maire Tau, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Mar 2017