Mount Hikurangi (Gisborne)
| Mount Hikurangi | ||
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| height | 1754 m | |
| location | New Zealand , North Island , Gisborne | |
| Mountains | Raukumara Range | |
| Coordinates | 37 ° 55 '3 " S , 178 ° 3' 34" O | |
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The Mount Hikurangi is a 1754 m high mountain of raukumara range in the district of Gisborne in the northeast of New Zealand's North Island . It is located 50 km southwest of the East Cape and is the highest non-volcanic peak on the North Island.
The mountain is tapu for the Māori (the Iwi Ngāti Porou ) living in the region, ie it is considered a sanctuary and is regarded as the resting place of Nukutaimemeha , the waka (canoe) of the legendary hero Māui .
The summit is sometimes seen as the first country in the world to fall on the light of the new day. However, this is only possible during the summer as Fiji and Tonga are further east. In summer, however, the mountain receives sunlight earlier than these islands because of the inclination of the earth's axis. The Chatham Islands and parts of Antarctica as well as some hills of the southeastern South Island in summer also experience sunrise earlier.