Waka Making Waves
Press Release , June 2005
Several waka hit the waves at Taipa beach as part of Northland's Matariki celebrations.
Also making a few waves was TV personality and comedian Pio Terei, who attended the waka regatta with a film crew from Maori TV, for the series "Tangaroa".
"We're here filming about our relationship to the sea and this was too good an opportunity to pass up," says Pio Terei.
The other star present at the regatta was the ocean-voyaging waka Te Aurere spending the winter at home after a busy summer program.
Te Aurere is used for teaching purposes from Tauranga to the Far North and over the summer will be teaching young students the art of waka hourua sailing.
The waka's original navigator Jack Thatcher made the trip up from Tauranga for the regatta, with a group of his Te Wananga o Aotearoa students. They also attended a weekend workshop on waka construction with Te Aurere's designer Hector Busby.
"We came to spend time with Hector and listen to him korero," says Jack. "We've learnt a lot; in fact I learnt that Matariki is not only important to us for navigation but in terms of new beginnings, it is the best time to select the trees for new waka," he says.
"At this time of the year their sap is at its lowest so Matariki is the best time to cut trees and leave them to dry until the summer, when they can be shaped into the new waka."
The students also took the opportunity to practice their paddling skills aboard their waka and were joined on the water by local students aboard the new Hector Busby designed waka 'Rangimarie'.
'Rangimarie' is housed in Taipa and used by Taipa Area School and Northland College students. The waka holds up to 33 paddlers and the boys caused a stir among the regatta crowd with their haka and paddling skills.
Waka "Kaihautu" or Captain Niki Tauhara says the waka will be used by several schools in the area and it gives the boys a sense of pride and discipline.
A small waka tete (river canoe) canoe also hit the waves and comments from the crowd included a feeling of awe for what it must have been like in the past, when there were hundreds of waka in the inlet. Also making waves was the waka ama Moana Nui with six paddlers.
Photos: The waka being hauled out of the water and detail shot is that of Te Wananga o Aotearoa from Tauranga. Pio is interviewing navigator Jack Thatcher aboard Te Aurere, and the students paddling aboard 'Rangimarie' are from Taipa Area School and Northland College.
For further information contact:
MichaelHarding
te.aurere@xtra.co.nz
Tel 09 408 7320
Useful website links:
Arts Promotion Trust
Northland's vibrant arts community. This website functions as an Arts Calendar and information resource for Northland.
Art of Northland
Quality Selection of Northland Art
Northland Arts Directory
Website to access contact information on the wealth of creative talent resident in the Northland region.