History of Canterbury, New Zealand facts for kids
The history of the Canterbury Region in New Zealand began with the arrival of the Māori people around the 10th century. This area has a rich past, from early settlers who hunted giant birds to fierce tribal wars and the arrival of European whalers and French colonists. Later, British settlers arrived, shaping the region into what it is today. Even in recent times, Canterbury has faced big challenges, like the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.
Early Māori Life in Canterbury
First People: Moa Hunters
The very first people in Canterbury were called the Moa-hunters. They arrived around the 10th century. You can find signs of them in old camp and burial sites near rivers and on Banks Peninsula. Their burial sites show they had a different culture from later Māori. They left behind moa eggs and special ornaments.
Māori stories don't talk much about the Moa-hunters. But there's a legend about an ancient group called "Te Kahui Tipua," or 'the band of ogres.' They were said to be replaced by later arrivals called Te Rapuwai.
Ancient Māori: Waitaha Tribe
It seems that the Te Rapuwai and the Waitaha tribes lived in the South Island long before the famous Polynesian 'fleet' arrived in the 14th century. The Waitaha tribe was quite large and lived in the eastern parts of the South Island. They had big villages, or pā, near Mairangi and on the Rakaia River.
One Waitaha person, Te Hau, is famous for destroying a huge bird of prey that lived in the Torlesse Range. This story might be a memory of extinct birds like a giant swan or eagle that lived alongside the moa.
In North Canterbury and Banks Peninsula, the Waitaha found plenty of food. The plains had lots of flax and ti-palms (cabbage trees). Small animals like rats (kiore) and wekas were everywhere. The forests were full of birds like kaka and pigeons. Lakes had many eels and other fish. The coast offered lots of fish and seabirds.
Later Māori: Ngāti Mamoe and Ngāi Tahu
Sadly, all this food attracted other tribes. Around the year 1500, the Waitaha were taken over by invaders from the North Island's East Coast, the Ngāti Mamoe tribe. Within 125 years, the Ngāti Mamoe controlled the entire east coast of the South Island, pushing the Waitaha into the inland lake areas.
After four or five generations, the Ngāti Mamoe were themselves attacked by another group from the north: the Ngāi Tahu. The Ngāi Tahu had first settled in the Poverty Bay area but then moved south.
By 1627, the Ngāi Tahu had a main village near Wellington. They started moving into the northern South Island, which was Ngāti Mamoe land. At first, they lived peacefully and even married each other. But tribal rivalries grew, leading to a big battle at Pakihi, north of the Conway River. The Ngāti Mamoe were defeated.
The Ngāi Tahu then steadily moved south, conquering more land. They took over most of the east coast down to Lake Waihola. During this time, some Ngāti Mamoe groups lived in river gorge caves, like at Weka Pass. Drawings on the cave walls suggest they lived there. Over time, the two tribes mixed, and the Ngāti Mamoe became part of the Ngāi Tahu.
Kaiapohia: A Stronghold
In the early 1700s, the Ngāi Tahu chief Tu Rakautahi made Kaiapohia (near modern-day Kaiapoi) the tribe's main base. He chose this spot because it was easy to defend, surrounded by swamps. He built a very strong pā there, famous throughout the South Island. The wood for the pā came from nearby forests. Its defenses included earth walls, strong fences, and a wide ditch.
The people of North Canterbury developed a system to gather and trade food. They couldn't grow enough food locally. So, they collected food from far away places like Lake Ellesmere, the Torlesse Range, and Banks Peninsula.
Kaiapohia was a large Māori town with at least 1000 people. It was the permanent home for important Ngāi Tahu families. They kept in touch with relatives in Kaikōura and Otago. They traded food, with preserved muttonbirds and dried fish coming from the south, and kumara (sweet potato) going back.
Kaiapohia was also known for its wealth of greenstone (pounamu). This hard, valuable stone was like metal to the Māori. It was used for tools and weapons and was highly prized. The main source of greenstone was on the West Coast, across the mountains from Kaiapohia.
The Ngāi Tahu used eight routes across the mountains to get greenstone. These trips were often war-parties until the Ngāti Wairangi of the West Coast were conquered around 1800.
Tribal Conflicts: The Kai-huanga Feud
Even within the Ngāi Tahu tribe, there were fights. A major conflict, called the kai-huanga or 'eat-relation' feud, started between 1810 and 1815. This feud weakened the Ngāi Tahu in Canterbury, making it easier for them to be conquered later by Te Rauparaha.
The feud began over a small incident: a woman wore a chief's cloak without permission. This was a serious insult. Instead of punishing the woman, the chief's relatives killed a slave. This led to more killings and revenge attacks between different Ngāi Tahu groups. The fighting spread, involving villages like Akaroa, Wairewa, and Taumutu.
The feud was very confusing because families were related to both sides. It caused a lot of destruction among the Ngāi Tahu. But by the late 1820s, they had to stop fighting each other to face a new threat: the invasion by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa tribe from the north.
Northern Attacks: Te Rauparaha's Invasions
By 1827, Te Rauparaha, a powerful chief, began attacking tribes in the northern South Island. His warriors had muskets, which were new and powerful weapons.
In 1827 or 1828, Te Rauparaha attacked Kaikoura by sea. The people of Kaikoura mistook his canoes for friends and went out unarmed. The Ngāti Toa easily won, destroying the three pā on Kaikoura Peninsula. More than half of the nearly 2000 people were killed, and many were taken prisoner.
The survivors fled to the inland areas or to other pā further south, like Omihi Pa. But in 1829, Te Rauparaha returned and destroyed Omihi Pa too.
Te Rauparaha then went to Kaiapohia, pretending to trade for greenstone. But the Kaiapohia chiefs became suspicious. They learned that Te Rauparaha planned to attack and had disrespected a grave. So, they decided to strike first. While some Ngāti Toa chiefs were inside the pā trading, a fight broke out. Several Ngāti Toa chiefs, including Te Pehi Kupe, Te Rauparaha's uncle, were killed.
Te Rauparaha retreated, planning his revenge.
The Capture of Tamaiharanui
Te Rauparaha wanted revenge on Tamaiharanui, the Ngāi Tahu chief. Tamaiharanui often lived in Akaroa to trade with European flax traders. Te Rauparaha decided to use a European ship for a surprise attack on Akaroa.
He hired Captain John Stewart of the brig Elizabeth to take his war party to Akaroa, promising a large cargo of flax as payment. On October 29, 1830, Te Rauparaha and 140 armed men boarded the Elizabeth at Kapiti.
When they arrived at Akaroa, Te Rauparaha's men stayed hidden below deck. Messages were sent to Tamaiharanui, who was away, saying the captain wanted to trade muskets. A few days later, Tamaiharanui and his young daughter were tricked into coming aboard the ship and were captured. Other Māori who visited the ship were also captured.
That night, Te Rauparaha's men attacked the village of Takapuneke, taking the Ngāi Tahu by surprise. Many were killed. The Ngāti Toa returned to the ship with cooked flesh and about 20 prisoners. Some estimates say 200 to 600 Ngāi Tahu were killed.
On the voyage back to Kapiti, Tamaiharanui and his wife tragically strangled their daughter, knowing what fate awaited them. At Kapiti, the prisoners were made slaves. Tamaiharanui was held for weeks, then handed over to Te Rauparaha and killed. His wife also died.
The Fall of Kaiapohia
The Ngāi Tahu were not left in peace. In early 1832, Te Rauparaha returned to destroy Kaiapohia. He brought over 600 men. They marched quickly to Kaiapohia, hoping for a surprise attack. But the Ngāi Tahu were warned and closed the gates.
The Kaiapohia warriors, along with reinforcements, returned and entered the pā. Te Rauparaha's direct attacks failed, so he began a siege that lasted three months. The Ngāti Toa dug trenches closer to the pā walls. They piled brushwood against the palisades. The Ngāi Tahu tried to remove it at night, but there was too much.
One day, the Ngāi Tahu tried to burn the brushwood themselves when the wind was blowing away from the pā. But the wind suddenly changed, and the 100-year-old wooden palisades caught fire. In the smoke and confusion, Te Rauparaha's men entered the pā. Of Kaiapohia's 1000 people, only about 200 escaped through the lagoon. Most of the rest were killed.
Soon after, Te Rauparaha attacked the last Ngāi Tahu stronghold at Onawe Peninsula in Akaroa Harbour. This pā was defended by about 400 men. An unwise attack by the Ngāi Tahu was pushed back to the pā. As the gates opened, Te Rauparaha's men rushed in, using captives as a shield. Few Ngāi Tahu escaped the slaughter.
The invaders then sent groups to other Ngāi Tahu villages. When they returned to the North Island, they took many captives. Only a few Ngāi Tahu, those who hid in the dense forests of Banks Peninsula, remained in North Canterbury.
Later, Ngāi Tahu warriors from Otago, led by Tūhawaiki, tried to ambush Te Rauparaha. They had some skirmishes, and Tūhawaiki led other attacks, causing losses for the Ngāti Toa.
Around 1839, Te Rauparaha made peace with the Ngāi Tahu. Many Ngāi Tahu slaves were released and returned south, mostly to Banks Peninsula. They were a changed people, and their old society was gone. They now faced a new challenge: the arrival of Europeans, known as Pakeha.
Whalers and Sealers Arrive
Whaling began around Banks Peninsula in the mid-1830s. Ships like the Juno were whaling there as early as 1831. By 1835, Port Cooper and Akaroa were popular whaling bases.
In 1837, Captain George Hempleman set up the first permanent European settlement in Canterbury at Peraki. This was a shore whaling station. Unlike ships that came and went, these stations meant Europeans were starting to live on the land.
Hempleman bought land from a Māori chief named Tohow (Tuauau) for weapons and other goods. He later had to make more payments under threat to keep his right to stay.
By 1838, many whaling ships, including French and American ones, visited New Zealand. Jean Langlois, a French captain, bought a large area of Banks Peninsula from Māori chiefs in 1838. This purchase later led to France trying to set up a colony at Akaroa.
After 1843, foreign whaling ships stopped coming to New Zealand because of new customs rules.
The French at Akaroa
For years, French leaders wanted to colonize New Zealand, not letting Britain have it all. When they heard about the success of French whaling ships in 1838, a plan to colonize the South Island grew.
In 1838, the French ship Cachalot arrived at Banks Peninsula. The French warship Héroine was also there to protect their interests. Its captain, Jean-Baptiste Cécille, made detailed maps of the harbors.
While at Port Cooper, Captain Langlois bought all of Banks Peninsula from 11 Māori chiefs for 1000 francs (about 40 pounds). The payment included clothes, shoes, and a pistol. Langlois thought he bought 30,000 acres, but it was closer to 300,000 acres. Captain Cécille raised the French flag and declared French ownership over Banks Peninsula.
Langlois returned to France and found support to form a company to colonize the land. The company, "La Compagnie de Bordeaux et de Nantes," aimed to create a settlement at Banks Peninsula as a base for French ships in the Pacific. The French government supported this plan.
The government promised to provide a ship, supplies, and protect the colonists as French subjects. A warship, the Aube, would sail ahead to secure the area. The colony at Akaroa was meant to be the start of France taking a much larger part of the South Island. They even thought about a penal (prison) settlement on the Chatham Islands.
A small group of 63 French and German settlers gathered. They were promised land and supplies. However, there were delays. The Aube sailed on February 19, 1840, and the immigrant ship Comte de Paris on March 20.
But the French expedition was too late. The British survey ship Tory had already sailed in May 1839. Captain William Hobson was appointed Lieutenant-Governor for British New Zealand in August. He arrived in New Zealand on January 29, 1840. On February 6, the first signatures were placed on the Treaty of Waitangi. The French ships had not even left France yet!
In May 1840, while the French ships were still at sea, Hobson declared British ownership over the South Island. Major Thomas Bunbury arrived at Akaroa with a copy of the Treaty of Waitangi. Two chiefs signed it there. Three weeks later, Bunbury declared British ownership over the entire South Island. The French colonists finally landed at Akaroa on August 19.
The French settlers were given land. Six Germans were given sections in the next bay, now called Takamatua (German Bay). The colonists planted gardens and built huts. Catholic priests cared for their spiritual needs.
Early European Settlement and Farming
The French settlement at Akaroa attracted attention to the area. In August 1841, Captain E. Daniel and G. Duppa explored Port Cooper and the nearby plains for the New Zealand Company. They found a "splendid district of flat land" with good soil and beautiful scenery.
Colonel William Wakefield wanted to put the Nelson settlement there. But Governor Hobson said no, because the land had many undecided claims, including those of the French.
A year later, William Deans, a settler from Wellington, explored the area for his own farm. He was very impressed with the Port Cooper district. He decided to move his farm there, as he couldn't find suitable land in Wellington.
In February 1843, William Deans and his farm workers sailed from Wellington to Banks Peninsula. They left their families at Port Levy and then went to Akaroa to tell the local official about their plans. Deans chose a site on the plains and named it Riccarton, after his home in Scotland.
On June 17, 1843, John Deans, William's brother, arrived from New South Wales with 61 cattle, three horses, and 43 sheep. These were the first sheep in Canterbury. Other settlers, like Ebenezer Hay and Captain Sinclair, also decided to move their families to Pigeon Bay on Banks Peninsula. The Greenwood brothers settled at Purau.
These early settlers were mostly stock-keepers, raising animals. The Deans brothers were good at farming, but it was too expensive to transport grain to markets. So, they focused on livestock. By February 1844, they had 76 cattle, three horses, and 50 sheep.
Cheese-making was a main activity for these first farmers. They also started sending fat cattle to the Wellington market.
The Deans brothers made an agreement with the local Māori for their land, paying eight pounds a year. Other settlers, like the Greenwood brothers, also leased land from Māori.
The European population of the Akaroa district (including Banks Peninsula and the plains) grew slowly. In 1844, there were 245 Europeans, and by 1848, 265. Most were farm workers. In April 1850, a ship called Monarch brought more British settlers to Akaroa. Even with more British, Akaroa still felt a bit French when the first Canterbury Association settlers visited in 1851.
Canterbury Earthquakes (2010–2011)
September 2010 Earthquake
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 hit the South Island on Saturday, September 4, 2010, at 4:35 AM. It happened 10 kilometers deep, about 40 kilometers west of Christchurch. Luckily, no one died.
The earthquake caused a lot of damage. Sewers, gas, and water pipes broke. Power went out for up to 75% of Christchurch. Christchurch Hospital had to use emergency generators.
A state of emergency was declared. The city center was closed, and a curfew was put in place. The New Zealand Army helped police. All schools were closed for checks. Christchurch International Airport was closed but reopened later that day.
Many buildings were damaged, with chimneys falling and walls cracking. The total cost for insurance was estimated to be around $11 billion. Aftershocks continued, with some reaching magnitude 5.2.
February 2011 Earthquake
A strong aftershock, magnitude 6.3, struck on February 22, 2011, at 12:51 PM. It was very shallow, only 5 kilometers deep, and close to Lyttelton, southeast of Christchurch.
Even though it was a lower magnitude than the 2010 quake, the shaking was much more intense. It was one of the strongest ever recorded in a city. About a third of the buildings in the city center had to be torn down.
This quake happened on a busy weekday afternoon, which led to a tragic outcome. 181 people lost their lives. This event led to New Zealand's first National State of Emergency. Many famous buildings, like Christchurch Cathedral, were badly damaged.
Help quickly arrived from other countries, including search and rescue teams from Australia, the USA, and Japan. The Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Canterbury helped by providing hot meals.
Christchurch Airport's runway was fine. The national airline, Air New Zealand, offered cheap flights for people who wanted to leave the city temporarily. Thousands of people took this offer. On March 1, a week after the tragedy, New Zealand observed a two-minute silence.
June 2011 Earthquakes
On June 13, 2011, Christchurch was hit again. A magnitude 5.7 quake struck around 1:00 PM, followed by a magnitude 6.3 quake at 2:20 PM. These quakes were similar to the February one, with a depth of 6 kilometers. Many aftershocks followed.
Phone lines and power were lost in some areas. Liquefaction (where the ground turns to liquid) happened in eastern parts of the city. Many people in the suburb of Sumner left their homes.
More buildings in the city center were damaged, with about 75 more needing to be demolished. Christchurch Cathedral was further damaged, losing its famous Rose window, making its restoration less likely. Only one person died in these quakes, but many were injured.
