| Ngā Rā-a-Kupe Kupe's Sail | |
|---|---|
| Cliff | |
 Kupe's Sail viewed edge-on | |
.png)  Ngā Rā-a-Kupe | |
| Coordinates: 41°36′16″S 175°15′58″E / 41.60448°S 175.26616°E / -41.60448; 175.26616 | |
| Location | Cape Palliser / Mātakitaki-a-Kupe |
| Formed by | Tectonic uplift |
| Etymology | From Māori: The sails of Kupe |
| Defining authority | New Zealand Geographic Board |
Ngā Rā-a-Kupe (lit. 'the sails of Kupe'), formerly known as Kupe's Sail, is a geological formation near the eastern end of Palliser Bay at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand.
It is composed of sedimentary rock which has been thrust up in an earthquake, resulting in a characteristic flat triangular ridge having the appearance of the kind of sail regularly used by Pacific explorers such as Kupe. According to Māori mythology, the formation is the result of a sail-making competition between Kupe and his companion Ngake. After the sails were made, they were hung out to dry and were said to have formed the rock formation, which was then named after the legend.
On 7 March 2023, the name of the rock formation was officially gazetted as Ngā Rā-a-Kupe, following the enactment of the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua Claims Settlement Act 2022.
References
- "Place name detail: Ngā Rā-a-Kupe". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- "NZGB notices – March 2023". New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
Sources
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