Story: Papatūānuku – the land

Mt Hikurangi

Mt Hikurangi

Sunlight strikes the peak of Mt Hikurangi. Hikurangi is the mountain mentioned in the Ngāti Porou tribe’s pepeha (proverb):

Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi

Hikurangi is the mountain
Waiapu is the river
Ngāti Porou is the tribe.

A tribe’s relationship to their mountain and river is an important part of their sense of tūrangawaewae (place to stand).

Using this item

GNS Science
Reference: 41063
Photograph by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'Papatūānuku – the land - Tūrangawaewae – a place to stand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/11448/mt-hikurangi (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 24 Sep 2007