What is the Maori legend of Lake Wakatipu?

Answer 1

Lake Wakatipu is a long narrow lake, and exhibits seiches, caused by the winds.

Thus on the shore, one may see the lake waves gradually rise up the beach over a period of several minutes, then fall again and repeat ... .

One Maori legend about this concerned a giant named Matau who had abducted the daughter of a local chief. The people sought revenge and one day they found him asleep,piled brushwood over him and set fire to him. The fire was so intense that it burnt a great hole in the ground, melting the snow which filled the hole and created the lake. The shape of Matau can still be seen with his head at Glenorchy and his feet at Kingston; Queenstown sits upon his knee.

The seiche (periodic fluctuation in water level) is thought to be Matau's heart still beating.

Another legend has it that that Wakatipu was created by the great explorer, Te Rakaihautu, who with his enchanted ko (digging stick) created many of the lakes in the South Island.