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Story: Whenua – how the land was shaped

Kapiti Island

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Kapiti Island

According to legend, when the ancestor Kupe arrived in New Zealand there was only one island. He created the North and South islands by standing on the ground and pushing his feet apart. Kapiti Island is named after this event: its name in full is Te Kapiti Waewae (legs spread apart).

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Reference: CN42462

by Lloyd Homer

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How to cite this page

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Whenua – how the land was shaped – Kupe, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6724/kapiti-island (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 2 March 2009.