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Story: Ngāi Tahu

Genealogy of the winds

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Genealogy of the winds

In its ocean setting, New Zealand is buffeted by winds. Māori extended the concept of human kinship to natural phenomena, including the winds. The Waitaha genealogy (whakapapa) connects the predominant winds of Canterbury, and explains their patterns and relationships. Ngāi Tahu adopted such Waitaha traditions when they occupied the South Island.

Whakapapa from information provided by Te Maire Tau

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Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Te Maire Tau, Ngāi Tahu – The genealogy of the land, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/whakapapa/1649/genealogy-of-the-winds (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Te Maire Tau, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 March 2017.