Story: Ngāi Tahu

Takapūneke

Takapūneke

The wars between Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Toa were fuelled partly by revenge. In the late 1820s, Ngāi Tahu killed several Ngāti Toa chiefs at Kaiapoi. In 1830, Te Rauparaha persuaded a British sea captain to take him to Takapūneke, on Akaroa Harbour. There he seized Ngāi Tahu’s leading chief, Te Maiharanui (Tama-i-hara-nui), by deceit. Te Maiharanui was taken back to Te Rauparaha’s Kapiti Island stronghold and killed. Takapūneke, the scene of this incident, is today a peaceful spot just south of the town of Akaroa. A memorial park is being developed there.

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Akaroa Museum
Photograph by Lynda Wallace

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How to cite this page:

Te Maire Tau, 'Ngāi Tahu - Wars with Ngāti Toa', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/1655/takapuneke (accessed 30 March 2024)

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