The legend of Aoraki

According to Maori legend, Aoraki was a young boy accompanied by his three brothers during a fishing expedition that took a tragic turn when their canoe capsized in the turbulent waters of the Pacific Ocean. Subsequent to the mishap, as the siblings clung to the overturned vessel, the piercingly cold winds and icy waters gradually transformed them into solid stone. Mirroring this metamorphosis, the canoe metamorphosed into the South Island of New Zealand, while the brothers transmuted into the majestic Southern Alps. Today, Aoraki, the tallest of the brothers, stands as the illustrious peak of the Southern Alps, soaring to an impressive height of 12,218 feet above sea level. This enduring legend of Aoraki reverberates the profound spiritual relationships and cultural legacy cherished by the Maori community with their surrounding landscape.