Ōtautahi (Christchurch) Named After Chief Tautahi

The name Ōtautahi was given to the Christchurch area after a Ngāi Tahu chief, Tautahi. His full name was Te Potiki Tautahi. The pā he established was on the bank of the Avon River, close to where the Chief Post Office is now. This pā was called Te Heru o Kahukura. The name Ōtautahi means “the place of Tautahi.”

The Ngāi Tahu arrived in Canterbury in the 17th century. They came from the North Island, moving south to escape conflict. They settled in the area, establishing pā and kāinga. The iwi hunted moa and other birds, fished, and cultivated kūmara.

When European settlers arrived in the 1840s, they found a thriving Ngāi Tahu community. The settlers bought land from the Ngāi Tahu, and the city of Christchurch was founded in 1850. The city was named after Christchurch College, Oxford, by the Canterbury Association.

The Ngāi Tahu continued to live in the area, but their way of life was disrupted by European settlement. The population declined due to disease and conflict. Today, the Ngāi Tahu are a strong and vibrant iwi, and they play an important role in the life of Christchurch.