Rāpaki
Rāpaki, officially Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa and previously known as Rapaki, is a small settlement within the Whakaraupo (Lyttelton, New Zealand) Harbour basin.[1]
Rapaki is one of four Banks Peninsula rūnanga (communities) based around marae (tribal meeting grounds).[2] The Rapaki Marae, also known as Te Wheke Marae, is a meeting ground of Ngāi Tahu and its Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke branch.[3] It includes Wheke wharenui (meeting house).[4]
Rapaki is overlooked by the peak Te Poho o Tamatea. According to one legend, the Ngāi Tahu chief Te Rakiwhakaputa named the place by laying his waist mat (Rapaki) down to claim it.[2] The full name of Rapaki is Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, meaning the waist mat of Te Rakiwhakaputa.[5] On 8 July 2020, the New Zealand Geographic Board assigned the full name as the official name of the locality.[6]
References
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- Wilson, John. "Canterbury places - Lyttelton Harbour". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke". Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- Rapaki marae introduction
- "Notice of the Final Determinations of the Minister for Land Information on Official Geographic Names". New Zealand Gazette. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 10 July 2020.