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Story: Take whenua – Māori land tenure

Rotorua lakes

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Rotorua lakes

Lake Rotomā (foreground) and other nearby lakes dominate the landscape in the Rotorua region. Chiefs in Rotorua made it clear to the government that their mana (authority) extended over both land and water.

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How to cite this page

Paul Meredith, Take whenua – Māori land tenure – Customary rights, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18377/rotorua-lakes (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Meredith, published 1 March 2009.