Story: First peoples in Māori tradition

Kupe’s places around the Marlborough Sounds (3rd of 3)

Kupe’s places around the Marlborough Sounds

Te Umu Wheke is where part of Muturangi’s octopus was cooked in an earth oven. Te Kupenga-a-Kupe is Kupe’s net, named after the cliffs on Cape Jackson that resemble nets hung out to dry. Te Taonui-a-Kupe, Cape Jackson itself, is Kupe’s large spear – a reference to its lance-like form. Te Ope-a-Kupe near Port Gore is named after marks resembling footprints in the rocks there. Te Mimi-o-Kupe is where Kupe urinated. Names such as these created an enduring relationship between ancestors, the land and subsequent generations.

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How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'First peoples in Māori tradition - Kupe', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/map/2390/kupes-places-around-the-marlborough-sounds (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 8 Feb 2005