Ngatangiia

Ngatangiia has one of the few real passages through Rarotonga's reef, and Māori tradition holds that this is where the great canoes left for Aotearoa in the fourteenth century, a departure commemorated by a monument of seven stones at the harbour, one for each of the canoes named in the migration accounts. The passage is still the island's small boat harbour, and Muri lagoon and its motu lie immediately south. The lagoon here is deeper than elsewhere around Rarotonga because of the passage, which is why the harbour and the boat traffic have always been on this side.

Background

Ngatangiia is one of the five districts of Rarotonga, on the east of the island, south of Matavera and Avarua and northeast of Titikaveka. Besides the memorial to the canoes said to have left its harbour for New Zealand, it is home to Te Ara, the Museum of Cultural Enterprise. Muri Lagoon, the widest part of Rarotonga's lagoon, lies in the district, and four small motu rise within it, from north to south Motutapu of 10.5 hectares, Oneroa of 8.1, Koromiri of 2.9 and Taakoka of 1.3.

Source: Wikipedia, "Ngatangiia"

What you'll find

• The seven-canoe monument - the stones marking the departure for Aotearoa.
• The reef passage - the only real gap in Rarotonga's reef, still the boat harbour.
• The migration tradition - the accounts placing the departure here.
• The Muri lagoon - the water and motu immediately south of the village.

When to go

May to October is the drier season. The passage carries strong current at all times. The monument is accessible at any time.

Good to know

The monument is modern and simple; the significance is the tradition rather than what stands. The passage current is dangerous for swimmers. There is little interpretation.

Nearby

Muri is south, and Avarua is northwest.

Key facts