Skip to main content

Story: Inheritance

Ancestral inheritance and Tītī (muttonbird) islands

 

Roll over icons for information

Some Māori hold ancestral rights which allow them to gather muttonbirds from the 36 small islands that surround Rakiura (Stewart Island), which are called the Tītī (muttonbird) Islands. Eighteen of the Tītī Islands are referred to as the Beneficial Islands, and only certain families can harvest muttonbirds from them. The harvesting season runs from 1 April to 31 May each year.

Sources: Regulation 2, Titi (Muttonbird) Islands Regulations 1978 and Schedule 106, Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998.

See also: Muttonbirding

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Ann Dupuis, Inheritance – Māori inheritance and succession, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/31052/ancestral-inheritance-and-titi-muttonbird-islands (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Ann Dupuis, published 21 April 2011.

Comments

Cali
01 June 2024
We have lost a letter that was passed down from my father, that shows we had rights to the mutton bird islands - is there somewhere we can get a copy from please