This is Aoraki, Aotearoa, New Zealand's tallest mountain, 3,724 metres. Aoraki is the son of Rakinui, the sky father. With his brothers along side him, he left the heavens in a waka (canoe) to visit Papatūānuku (the earth mother). After exploring the earth and sailing the dark and powerful southern oceans. Aoraki and his brothers began fishing. They were not successful and decided to return to the heavens and to their father Rakinui. Aoraki started the karakia (prayer) needed to take them all back to the heavens, but he was distracted by the cries of his brothers, as a result, he missed some crucial words, stranding them, their hair turned white, and the eventually turn to stone and becoming our most iconic mountain. One of my proudest photos, of our largest most significant mountain.
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