Pihanga

Mount Pihanga is a 1325m volcanic peak in the North Island Volcanic Plateau, located to the north of Mount Tongariro, between Tongariro and Lake Taupo. Lake Rotoaira lies immediately to the west of Pihanga, and the smaller Lake Rotopounamu is at the north-west foot of the mountain. Mt. Pihanga and Lake Rotopounamu are part of the 5,129ha Pihanga Scenic Reserve, which in 1975 was added to the Tongariro National Park.

Maori Mythology

In Maori mythology, Pihanga was the female mountain whom Taranaki and Tongariro fought over, at a time when Taranaki was also located among the central North Island mountains. Tongariro's victory resulted in Taranaki's banishment to the west coast, with his movement creating features such as the Whanganui and Patea Rivers, and the Ngaere swamp.

External links

* Planetware: New Zealand: Turangi: [http://www.planetware.com/turangi/mount-pihanga-nz-wk-mp.htm Mt Pihanga]
* United Nations Environment Programme: Parks and Protected Areas: World Heritage Sites: [http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/tongarir.html Tongariro National Park]
* Best, Elsdon. The Maori - Volume I, [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Bes01Maor-t1-body-d5.html V Myth and Folk Lore] . p205.
* Index Mundi: New Zealand: Mountains: [http://www.indexmundi.com/zm/nz/2020.htm Pihanga to Poarangitautahi]
* Peter Thomson: Walks, GPS Tracks and lots of photographs: New Zealand: [http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/new_zealand/rotopounamu.html Rotopounamu]