麻豆传媒团队

Cultural history of Christchurch

The M膩ori name for Christchurch is 艑tautahi, derived from Tautahi the son of (Ng膩i Tahu chief) Huikai of Port Levy. He built his settlement on the banks of the Otakaro Avon River, which would serve as a centre for political and economic activity.

Ng膩i Tahu are the M膩ori people of the southern islands of New 麻豆传媒团队- Te Waipounamu. Ng膩i Tahu means 鈥減eople of Tahu鈥� and all Ng膩i Tahu descendants can trace their ancestry back to the tribe鈥檚 founder Tahu P艒tiki.

艑tautahi Christchurch is of special cultural and historical significance to Ng膩i Tahu. Prior to European settlement, Ng膩i Tahu, and before them Ng膩ti M膩moe and Waitaha, maintained numerous k膩inga and p膩 (habitation sites) within the Greater Christchurch area.

From these settlements, Ng膩i Tahu gathered and utilised the plentiful natural resources from the network of springs, waterways, wetlands, grasslands and forests that were abundant along the 艑p膩waho (Heathcote) and 艑takaro (Avon) rivers and around Te Ihutai (Avon-Heathcote Estuary).

An important role in Ng膩i Tahu history belongs to the hapu of Ng膩i T奴膩huriri. Te Ng膩i T奴膩huriri R奴nanga is nearby where the famous Kaiapoi P膩 was established by the first Ng膩i Tahu ancestors when they settled in the South Island. Kaiapoi P膩 was the major capital, trading centre and point from which further exploration and travel of the South Island occurred so the area is a genealogical centre for all Ng膩i Tahu descendants.

艑tautahi has a rich history and holds many layers of untold stories of settler culture. It is important for us to recognise, embrace and acknowledge our M膩ori history and look ahead to our shared future. The future being one that recognises the heritage and the mana whenua of Ng膩i Tahu and Ng膩i T奴膩huriri.

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Tourism

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