Ngātoroirangi Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings
The Lake Taupō Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay, are one of the most celebrated examples of Māori traditional art. One of the most striking attractions of Lake Taupō, the immense carvings adorn the cliff faces of the bay. They tower over 14-metres above the crystal-clear water. Although the designs appear like the remains of an ancient Māori settlement, they were in fact carved by Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell and a team of artists over four years in the 1970s.
The dramatic works are some of the largest rock art of their kind in the world. The main carving depicts Ngātoroirangi, the Māori visionary who guided the Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa tribes to Lake Taupō over a thousand years ago. Flanking Ngātoroirangi are smaller sculptures that depict kaitiaki (guardians) or tupuna (ancestors) of the local Māori tribe.
Only accessible from the water, you can visit the Māori Rock Carvings on one of our scenic Lake Taupō boat trips. The experience of viewing the carvings close up as you float beneath the cliffs is one you will never forget.
The Symbolism Of This Sacred Artwork
- TikiTiki is the top knot that sits at the peak of Ngātoroirangi’s head. It represents his ability to communicate to lo Matua Kore, the highest god in the Māori culture.
- Matakite the spiritual eye (or third eye) represents the sixth sense. It is shown here in the centre of the forehead.
- Aho/Mauri begins at the tip of the nose and runs up the centre of the nose, through the forehead, to the bottom of the TikiTiki, representing the connection to the spiritual world.
- Te Haa is the spirit wind and is depicted on the bridge of Ngātoroirangi’s nose, representing Ngātoroirangi’s discernment and intuition.
- Whatukura is the design on the upper lip. It depicts the angel that represents the most sacred bird in Māori culture, the White Kotuku. The White Kotuku carried the three baskets of knowledge from the spiritual world to earth.
- Matakokiri is the design that runs over Ngātoroirangi’s top and bottom lip. It is symbolic of the waka (canoe) belonging to a powerful god from the celestial realm Puhaorangi, an ancestor of Ngātoroirangi’s.
- Mareikura is shown on Ngātoroirangi’s chin, the symbolism being the Hokioi (Haast Eagle) who is the messenger between God and man. These two symbols (including Whatakura) on Ngātoroirangi’s face gave him the rank of High Priest.
The artist behind the Māori Carvings
The story of the rock carving of Ngātoroirangi begins with the artist’s grandmother. Te Huatahi Susie Gilbert of Ngāti Tuwharetoa asked her grandson Matahi Whakataka Brightwell to create a likeness of her ancestor Ngātoroirangi on a totara tree to create a permanent connection for her family to the land. When Matahi arrived in Taupō, there was no totara tree to carve, so he journeyed onto the lake for inspiration.
The rock alcove at Mine Bay became the canvas for one of the most extraordinary contemporary carvings New Zealand has ever seen. Surrounded by smaller sculptures depicting tupuna (ancestors) and kaitiaki (guardians), the carving now towers 14-metres above the deep water of Lake Taupō and is one of the North Island’s biggest tourist attractions.
Select your Māori ROCK carvings cruise
Daily Carvings &
Lakefront Cruise
10.30am & 2pm: 120 minutes
Cruise Lake Taupō’s bays & the Taupō Lakefront on the relaxing 2- hour cruise to be up close & personal to the Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings. Bring your towel, if conditions allow, we will stop for a swim in Lake Taupō’s crystal- clear waters.
Express
Carvings Cruise
12.30pm: 90 minutes
Cruise by Lake Taupō’s picturesque tree lined bays to the Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings. Great viewing platform to get the best up photo opportunities of the magnificent Taupō Māori Carvings.
Evening Cocktail
Carvings Cruise
4.30pm: 90 – 100 minutes
Take a relaxing early evening cruise, we have a licensed bar on board and if conditions allow, we will stop for a quick dip in the pristine waters of Lake Taupō.
