History & Maori Culture

 The land of Kaikoura was originally known as ‘Te Koha O Kahukura’ (The gift of Kahukura) and the ocean Te Tai o Marokura (the sea of Marokura). Both Kahukura and Marokura wereGods who shaped the area with their magical swords. Marokura shaped the underwater trenches and canyons, thus carving out a home for the many Whales, Dolphins and other sea life that lives here today.

It was the abundance of food that brought early settlement to the area and Maori have lived along this coastline for more than 900 years.  Hidden in the beauty of today’s landscape are many relics of the past and stories waiting to be told.

The original inhabitants were the ‘Waitaha’ who were later joined by the ‘Kati Mamoe’ people. Both tribes lived together harmoniously until around 350 years ago when the Ngai Tahu sub tribe ‘Ngati Kuri’ arrived in the area.  There were a number of battles before the ‘Waitaha’ and ‘Kati Mamoe’ eventually gave up rights over these lands to ‘Ngati Kuri’ in one of only a few peaceful takeovers in New Zealand’s Maori history. 

Today descendants of all three tribes still reside in Kaikoura and have a living and vibrant culture.

A more modern name from which today’s Kaikoura is derived is Te Ahi Kaikoura a Tama ki te Rangi (the fire that cooked the crayfish of Tama ki te Rangi).   Tama ki te Rangi visited the area in pursuit of his runaway wives – but that’s a whole new story that ends on the West coast of the South Island.

The oral history and traditions of Maori have been passed down through many generations and the best way to learn more is to take a tour with local Maori guides. Maori Tours Kaikoura