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Kōrero: Rivers

Inside Tamatea’s cave

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Inside Tamatea’s cave

Tamatea’s cave, on the Whanganui River, commemorates the name of the early Māori explorer and captain of the Tākitimu canoe, Tamatea-pōkai-whenua. Tamatea explored upstream, leaving his servant to wait at the river’s mouth. Some say this gave rise to the river’s name: Whanganui translates as ‘long wait’.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by David Young

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

David Young, Rivers – Māori and rivers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/14688/inside-tamateas-cave (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā David Young, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.