Ripapa Island

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Ripapa island, just off the shore of Lyttelton Harbour (Whakaraupo) has played many key roles in the history of New Zealand or Aotearoa. The island initially played a key role in an internal struggle for the south island Ngāi Tahu tribe in the early 19th Century. The late 19th century the island was used as a quarantine for ships emigrated from Britain, though 1880 saw the use of the quarantine buildings as a prison.

[edit] Pre-European History

The site of Ripapa island was perfect for building a Pa (a fortification built by the Maori) and in the early 19th Century, Chief Taununu of the Ngai Tahu tribe built such a Pa on the island. In the 1820's Chief Taununu faced a fierce fight with another Ngai Tahu group in what was to be known as the Kai Huanga feud. Kai Huanga meaning "eat relatives" refers to the cannibalistic nature of the feud and that those they fought and ate were close relatives, even getting to a point where brother would eat brother.
The Ngai Tahu tribe continued to occupy the island until around 1832. Chief Te Whakarukeruke who had been occupying Ripapa island had prior to this left to help defend Kaiapoi from Te Rauparaha. After Kaiapoi fell, Te Rauparaha overran a number of Pa's on and around Banks Peninsula, including the pa on Ripapa Island. The island was never again occupied by the Maori.

[edit] Fort Jervois

Fort Jervois was built on Ripapa as one of the four defences set up in World War I to protect Lyttleton Harbour, and as part of the nationwide coastal defences. The walled fort that had been built in 1886 had been re-militirised as a result of a perceived "Russian scare" and is the most complete "Russian scare" fort left in New Zealand. The fort was occupied by the New Zealand army from the "Russian scare" till the end of World War I and was again garrisoned during World War II
The fort is currently the home of two extremely rare guns. One an 8 inch calibre cannon oh which there are only 12 left in the world which remains to be in working order though there are of course no shells left for such a weapon. It also holds a smaller 6 inch calibre cannon that had been commissioned to be in active service but as the first test shot was fired the recoil system failed and has cracked the barrel and most of the rest of the gun. The 6 inch calibre gun can never be fired again. Though these are the only two guns currently in place at Fort Jervois there is positioning for another two guns.
The island has been under the control of the Department of Conservation since 1990. Ripapa island is classes in category one by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The island has been considered "actively managed" by Canterbury conservancy. Future plans have been made to return the island to how it was during the second world war.