Story: Tangaroa – the sea

Where the seas meet

Where the seas meet

‘Papaki tū ana ngā tai ki Te Rēinga’ is a phrase often used in chants. It describes the meeting of the two seas at Cape Rēinga, at the tip of the North Island, where the waves clap together. It is an important place in Māori culture – many believe it is where the spirits of the newly deceased depart.

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Photograph by Chris Rudge

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How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'Tangaroa – the sea - Water as the source of life', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/7404/where-the-seas-meet (accessed 24 April 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 12 Jun 2006