Rakaihauta and Tamatea

According to Maori tradition, Rakaihauta and Tamatea were important chiefs associated with the arrival of Maori in Southland. Raakaihautu commanded the Uruao waka (canoe) and was an ancestor of the Waitaha people, while Tamatea's waka, the Taakitimu, was wrecked near Te Waewae Bay, with the Taakitimu Mountains said to be the upturned hull of the canoe.

European Exploration and Whaling

European exploration and the whaling industry had a significant impact on Southland. The British vessel Endeavour, led by Captain James Cook, explored the coast in 1770, and sealers and whalers arrived in the area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The presence of European settlers and the depletion of seal populations shaped the region's history, while intermarriage with Maori had both cultural and health consequences.

Tuturau battle just out of mataura

Brigadier James Hargest and Reg Miles in Switzerland

A historical photograph showing Brigadier James Hargest and Brigadier Reg Miles upon their arrival in Switzerland following their escape from Villa Vincigliata (Campo 12) near Florence, wearing clothes they hand-made while imprisoned.