Whale People
Humans have revered whales, hunted them, and explored their astounding adaptations to life in the sea.
Meet some of the people whose lives have been inextricably linked with whales – from legendary South Pacific whale riders to whale scientists and former whaling families.
Te iwi tohorā
Kua whakawehia, kuāpatua ngā tohorā e te tangata, ā, kua toroa tō rātou noho whakamīharo ki roto i te moana.
Tūtakitia mai etahi o ngā tāngata e matatau ana ki ngā tohorā mai i nga kaieke tohora rongonui nō Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa tae atu ki ngā tohunga tohorā me ngā whānau whaiwhai tohorā.
In this section
Some patterns on pātaka probably have their origins in the story of the chief Tinirau and his pet whale Tutunui.
Discover the treasures stored in the pātaka taonga.
Māori sometimes remembered significant events and stories about whales by naming islands and landforms after them.
Discover some of the rich whale-riding traditions of Māori culture.
Māori and other South Pacific harvested food and materials from whales that occasionally stranded on their shores.