Skip to main content

Kōrero: Canterbury places

Kaiapoi pā

Image
Kaiapoi pā

It is difficult to see the remains of Kaiapoi from the ground, but from the air the club-shaped outline of the earthworks is visible. Built around 1700, the was the largest and most important of Ngāi Tahu strongholds. It was considered impregnable, but Ngāti Toa invaders from the north breached its defences in 1832 and slaughtered the inhabitants.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation

by Kevin Jones

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.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

John Wilson, Canterbury places – Kaiapoi district, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/10194/kaiapoi-pa (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā John Wilson, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009, updated 17 August 2015.