Tikanga Maori
Aerial view of Kapiti Island
Ko te Waewae Kapiti o Tara Raua ko Rangitane: the full name given by Maori to Kapiti describes the Island as the meeting place of the boundaries of Tara and Rangitane. Tara and Rangitane were the son and grandson of Whatonga who, in 1150 AD, divided the country by making a boundary from the southern tip of Kapiti Island straight across to the east coast of the North Island. The land to the south he gave to Tara and the land to the north he gave to Tautoki, another son whose heir was Rangitane.
That significant meeting place, first voiced by Whatonga, is still echoed in a dynamic way today by a particular characteristic of Kapiti's waters. Kapiti the meeting place for two major sea currents. It is here that the cold and clear Southland current meets the warm, turbid and more salty d'Urville current. The zone where these two meet swells north and south as one current dominates the other resulting in fascinating overlaps of marine plants and animals.
The waters between Kapiti Island and the mainland were once plied by the mighty waka of Rangitane people, the Muaupoko and later those of Te Rauparaha of Ngati Toa who warred to gain dominance over Kapiti by 1823. This stretch of sea is called Rauoterangi Channel to commemorate the swimming feat of Kahe Te Rauoterangi, daughter of a Ngati Toa chief. Persuaded by a dream she set out from Kapiti, with her daughter strapped to her back, to warn allies on the mainland of a threatened attack. Te Rauoterangi was carried by the current to Te Uruhi, south of the Waikanae River and about 11 kilometres from the starting point. The child survived the crossing but died not long afterwards.