Ngāi Tahu History of Te Manahuna

Te Manahuna is an area of immense cultural and historical significance to Ngāi Tahu whānui. The landscape is woven with memories and traditions, including traditional mahinga kai sites, settlements, place names and ara tawhito (travel routes).

Learn the Ngāi Tahu history of Te Manahuna (Mackenzie Basin) with Ngāi Tahu kaumātua David Higgins and Ngāi Tahu Archive Manager Takerei Norton who will give a demonstration of the Ngāi Tahu digital atlas, Kā Huru Manu.

Kā Huru Manu uses the latest Geographical Information System (GIS) technology to record and map Ngāi Tahu stories and place names onto a virtual landscape for future generations. Compiled by Ngāi Tahu kaumātua over the past 20 years, Kā Huru Manu records the traditional Māori place names, traditional travel routes and the original Māori reserves within the Ngāi Tahu takiwā.

During this presentation you will learn about the Ngāi Tahu history of Te Manahuna, including the earliest maps of Ngāi Tahu place names for Te Manahuna and the 19 th century Ngāi Tahu informants who provided this traditional mātauranga.