Rākaihautū

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Rākaihautū, was the first ancestor of the Waitaha people, who are considered in Ngāi Tahu tradition to be the first tribal group to occupy Te Waipounamu.

Rakaihautu lit the fires of occupation in this island. With his ko (digging stick) he carved out the lakes and rivers in Te Wai Pounamu. It was through Rākaihautū and his descendants that the land was named and therefore claimed. He was a leader (kaihautū), explorer and creator who shaped the Island we live in.

The tohu for our school depicts his journey throughout Te Waipounamu. Through his explorations with his digging tool, Tuwhakarōria, he created and formed various mountains, lakes and rivers. This is depicted by the four strands within the design – moko whenua – the etchings of our ancestors on this land.

Rakaihautu shaped our world just as we encourage our tamariki and their whānau to ultimately take up their ko (digging tool) and confidently carve out new worlds for themselves.