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The first Europeans to sail into southern seas interpreted the four bright stars that had just come into view as a cross, naming it Crux Australis or the Southern Cross. In New Zealand, Māori tribes had varying traditions about the constellation. Tainui Māori saw an anchor in the four stars, while Māori from the Wairarapa saw the outline of a plug through which storm winds blew.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
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