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Story: Te whānau puha – whales

Collecting whale oil

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Collecting whale oil

Once the blubber had been boiled down, the oil was scooped off the water and stored. Here, oil is being poured into a large metal barrel.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-068883; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Bradford Haami, Te whānau puha – whales – From whaling to tourism, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9207/collecting-whale-oil (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Bradford Haami, published 2 March 2009.