Map of Rekohu
Welcome to this first blog of the new Chatham Islands site. On this site and in future blogs you will find information on the history, cultures and environment of this exciting and unique island group.
Known to the Moriori, who have lived there for many hundreds of years, as Rekohu, the Chatham Islands were “re-discovered” by Europeans in 1791. The Chatham Islands are about 800 kilometres off the coast of New Zealand.
Rekohu means ‘misty skies’, which is a fairly accurate description of the Islands during the autumn and winter months.
The Moriori lived there, undisturbed for much of their known history, even when the family histories (hokopapa) go back to the original settlers who came here from Polynesia or mainland New Zealand, about the same time as the ancestors of todays Maori settled in New Zealand, they refer to people already living there.
With a current population of about 700 people, of mixed Moriori, Maori and European descent, the Chatham Islands are experiencing a growing tourism industry as people slowly begin to learn about all of the amazing and unique plants and birdlife and spectacular scenery that the islands have to offer.
Check back soon for the latest update.
Hi, this is a comment.
To delete a comment, just log in, and view the posts’ comments, there you will have the option to edit or delete them.
HI WHANAU BOTH MYSELF AND MY BROTHER INLAW HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON OUR MORIORI HOKOPAPA.
WE ARE CLOSE RELATIVE TOO THE HOROMONA SOLOMAN WHANAU
THROUGH HAPE.
OUR HAPE HOKOPAPA GOES BACK TO THE TIME YEAR 1125 AND IT STARTS FROM OPOTIKI KNOWN AS HAPUONEONE ACROSS TO TUWHARETOA LAKE TAUPO TO THE FAR NORTH WHANGAROA.
ALSO ALONG THE EAST COAST FROM WAIMANA TUHOE AREA DOWN TO HERETAUNGA TO PONEKE TO NGAI TAHU TO REKOHU.WE HOLD MANY HOKOPAPA OF OUR MORIORI WHANAU ITS TAKEN ABOUT TEN YEARS
Now this is one of the reasons that I love this role: receiving comments about people who are doing something about their Hokopapa is awesome. I can almost see the history unravelling for them, much as it did for me when I did my own. Fantastic!!
Ka pai e hoa
Me rongo
Rekohu
hI! I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH INTO NTH.IS. MORIORI.. PRE.CANOE MAORI..1125 A.D…THIS RESEARCH HAS COME TO LIGHT OWING TO A ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIND AT “WAIONE”.REMNANTS OF STONE ART HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NGATI MAMOE {SUB TRIBE OF MORIORI] WHO WERE DRIVEN OUT OF THE AREA BY RANGITANE..WENDY LANAUZE,JOURNALIST HAS ACCESS TO ALL THIS RESEARCH ..SCUTINY OF THESE ARTIFACTS {TOANGA] ARE WELCOME BY ANY INTERESTED PARTIES….”HAPE’ NAME IS PREVALENT IN THIS AREA ….
You should really get in touch with someone at Hokotehi Moriori Trust and share your information, news and views with them. I understand that they have a regular panui that goes out to all of their members and this sort of information should be in that.