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Story: Te Tau Ihu tribes

Lake Grassmere (Kāpara-te-hau)

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Lake Grassmere

According to tradition there was a tribe of giants, the Kāhui Tipua, who lived in Wairau (Marlborough) and were eventually wiped out when Kupe swamped their villages by creating lagoons. These lagoons are now known as Lake Grassmere, pictured here.

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by Lloyd Homer

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How to cite this page

Hilary Mitchell and John Mitchell, Te Tau Ihu tribes – Early traditions, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/3752/lake-grassmere-kapara-te-hau (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Hilary Mitchell and John Mitchell, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 March 2017.