Otakou

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The settlement of Otakou lies within the boundaries of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located 25 kilometres from the city centre at the eastern end of Otago Peninsula, close to the entrance of Otago Harbour.

A small fishing village, Otakou is important in the history of Otago for several reasons. Its original name was 'Otago' but European officials who had learned Maori in the North Island, visiting in the 1840s changed it to 'Otakou', believing that to be the correct form. In fact it isn't and 'Otago' is the correct southern Maori dialect word, as the earliest European records and the oldest Maori traditions both attest. But the myth is very much alive. Many people still believe that 'Otago' is a European corruption of 'Otakou'instead of the other way around. The place also includes the site of one of the region's oldest and largest European settlements, the Weller brothers'whaling station, founded in [1831]]. It was probably also the 'city of Otago' burnt by Captain Kelly in December 1817.

Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the place was a prominent Maori settlement, and it is still the site of Otago's most important marae. The name 'Otakou' is thought to come from Maori words meaning either "single village" or "place of red earth". In its original form 'Otago' it was the name of the water off Wellers Rock but was transferred to the lower harbour as a whole, the port, the nearby Maori settlements and the Wellers' whaling establishment. It was as the name of these it was converted to 'Otakou', which form is still used to refer to them today. The old Maori names for the Maori settlements were Te Ruatitiko, Tahakopa, Omate and Ohinemu.

Otakou is located close to Taiaroa Head, the site of an albatross colony and other wildlife such as seals and penguins. Taiaroa Head is also the site of Pukekura, the ancient fortress for the harbourside villages, established about 1650 and still occupied by Maori in the 1840s.

References

Dann, C. & Peat, N. (1989). Dunedin, North and South Otago. Wellington, NZ: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01438-0.
Entwisle, Peter. (1998) ''Behold the Moon, the European Occupation of the Dunedin District 1770-1848'. Dunedin, NZ: Port Daniel Press. ISBN 0-473-05591-0
Goodall, M. & Griffiths, G. (1980). Maori Dunedin. Dunedin, NZ: Otago Heritage Books.

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