Story: Waikato tribes

Taupiri mountain

Taupiri mountain

This photograph shows the Waikato River, with Taupiri mountain at left, on the bend of the river. Taupiri is the sacred mountain of the Waikato people. It is remembered in the tribal saying:

Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Taupiri te maunga
Ko Te Wherowhero te tangata.

Waikato is the river
Taupiri is the mountain
Te Wherowhero is the man.

Many Waikato ancestors and chiefs are buried on Taupiri, including all the Māori kings, and the late queen, Dame Te Ātairangikahu.

Using this item

GNS Science
Reference: 513/15
Photograph by Lloyd Homer

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

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How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'Waikato tribes - The Waikato confederation', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/1711/taupiri-mountain (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Mar 2017