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Story: Hawaiki

Hawaiki

Image
Hawaiki

This imaginative reconstruction of the Māori homeland, Hawaiki, was drawn by artist Wilhelm Dittmer and published in his book Te tohunga: the ancient legends and traditions of the Maori in 1907. It depicts the island of Hawaiki, with a host of inhabitants preparing to embark in the canoes that will take them in search of new lands.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PUBL-0088-095

by Wilhelm Dittmer

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

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Hawaiki – Home of the gods, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/3803/hawaiki (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 April 2015.