This carved post stands outside the visitor centre in the Waitakere Ranges, west of Auckland. It depicts some of the ancestors of local iwi Te Kawerau-a-Maki. The earliest ancestor, Tiriwā, appears at the top. Below him are Hape (senior priest on the Tainui canoe), Hoturoa (captain of the Tainui), Maki (a famous warrior), Te Kawerau-a-Maki (Maki’s son), and Te Hawiti (Maki’s great-grandson). This shows how direct blood lines (Maki and his descendants) can be found interwoven with earlier ancestors (Tiriwā, Hape and Hoturoa) within whakapapa.
Using this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Melanie Lovell-Smith
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
Add new comment