Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa

Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, commonly known as Rāpaki or Rapaki, is a small settlement within the Whakaraupo (Lyttelton, New Zealand) Harbour basin.[1]

View of Lyttelton Harbour and Rapaki

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]

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