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Story: Ngā waewae tapu – Māori exploration

Statue of Kupe

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Statue of Kupe

This statue of Kupe, on the Wellington waterfront, shows the legendary explorer with his wife, Hine Te Apārangi, and his tohunga (priest), Pekahourangi. The country’s Māori name, Aotearoa, came when his wife saw a long white cloud and realised that land was nearby.

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Private collection

by Simon Nathan

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How to cite this page

Rāwiri Taonui, Ngā waewae tapu – Māori exploration – Coastal explorers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/14132/statue-of-kupe (accessed 12 June 2026).

Story by Rāwiri Taonui, published 1 March 2009.