Lake Te Paritu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Te Paritu |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Caldera of the Mayor Island (New Zealand ). 1986
|
|
 Lake Te Paritu
Location in North Island
|
|
| Coordinates | 37°17′29″S 176°16′3″E / 37.29139°S 176.26750°E |
| Native name | Black Lake Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Surface area | 3.2 hectares (7.9 acres) |
Lake Te Paritu, also known as Black Lake, is a cool natural lake in New Zealand. It is one of two small lakes found inside a volcano's crater. You can find it on Mayor Island / Tuhua in the Bay of Plenty.
Lake Te Paritu is connected to another lake, Lake Aroarotamahine, also called Green Lake. They are linked by a wet, marshy area known as a wetland. Even though they are connected, neither lake has a river or stream that flows out to the sea. This is because both lakes sit in a low, bowl-shaped area.
Why Lake Te Paritu is Black
This lake has a very special black color. It gets its dark look from tiny bits of dirt and rock that settle at the bottom. These fine sediments make the water appear black.
The Māori have a fascinating legend about why the lake is black. They say the black color is the blood of Tuhua. Tuhua is the Māori name for obsidian, which is a shiny, black volcanic rock. In the legend, Tuhua fought a big battle with Pounamu. Pounamu is the Māori name for greenstone, a beautiful green stone. Tuhua won the fight, and Pounamu, defeated, fled far away to the South Island of New Zealand.
