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Story: Whenua – how the land was shaped

Lake Ellesmere

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Lake Ellesmere

Lake Ellesmere was one of the waterways dug out by Rākaihautū, and was renowned for its bountiful supply of fish, including eels, flounder, whitebait and yellow-eyed mullet. Māori knew the lake as Te Keteika-a-Rākaihautū (Rākaihautū’s food basket).

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GNS Science

Reference: CN23311

by Lloyd Homer

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How to cite this page

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Whenua – how the land was shaped – Lakes, rivers and harbours, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6757/lake-ellesmere (accessed 4 June 2026).

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