Paddling a Waka

Paddles at the ready at the Ngai Tahu Hui-a-Tau at Puketeraki

Karitane November 2010
Karitane is a blissful little seaside settlement about 40 minutes north of Dunedin. In addition to its ocean beach, it has a beautiful estuary area and that's where those attending Ngai Tahu's annual Hui-a-Tau (this year hosted by Puketeraki Marae), could turn their hand to a bit of waka ama paddling. I've written a heap about waka ama before - just click on the words in the below label line if you want to know more about the difference between waka ama and waka taua etc.

A Waka in a Cage

When I visited Tauranga in the North Island's Bay of Plenty in June, I spent a lot of time wandering around the city's foreshore area. I found this waka in its custom-designed 'shed' at one end of The Strand.

I think the photographs say enough.

I love the carving detail.

A New Ngai Tahu Whare Tipuna

Close to 1,000 people gathered in the tiny Lyttelton harbour settlement of Rapaki last Saturday, for the dawn opening of Wheke, the new whare tipuna of Te Hapu o Ngati Wheke, Ngai Tahu that has been ten years in the planning and making.

It was always going to be a long day - I woke up at 2am and couldn't get back to sleep, so I was ready for action way ahead of the 4.30am Whakatuwhera - the dawn ceremony. Later in the morning - after breakfast for 600, when the sun was up - a team of waka taua (war canoe) paddlers arrived at Rapaki's Gallipoli Jetty (built in 1916 as a memory to soldiers who fell at Gallipoli) to start the second half of the formal celebrations - the powhiri for invited dignatories.

It was a baking hot day and while everyone huddled under umbrellas, sunhats and nearby trees, local kaumatua (elders) welcomed the guests. I spent some of that time taking photographs - hundreds of photographs - and these are a tiny sample of some of my favourites from the day. I'll be bringing a few more to this blog in the coming days.

I always find a wealth of photographic material at Maori events - the carved tokotoko (walking sticks), the beauty of the hongi (greeting; above), the hats, the splendour of carvings, the luxury of feather korowai (cloaks- below), the intricacy of patterns and ta moko. I'm never short of a subject.

I'll bring you more of the hats, the tokotoko, the hongi and the exterior carvings in future blogs. Unfortunately, I can't show you the exquisite carvings and tukutuku panels and the elaborately painted heke (rafters) inside the whare tipuna. While I was able to photograph them for Ngai Tahu's TE KARAKA magazine, that's where they have to stay, as photography is not generally permitted inside a wharenui. Suffice to say, Master Carver, Christchurch-based Ngati Porou artist, Riki Manuel and his team have created a sublime interior that is completely unique. Manuel has invented what he loosely terms "a Rapaki style" that is based on local whakapapa, birds, plants and kaimoana (seafood) - in short, the unique local lifestyle that sets this divine little community - just across the Port Hills from Christchurch - apart. www.ngaitahi.iwi.nz

A Visual Moment

Right Place, Right Time.

A reflection of a waka - on a poster - caught in the moody waters of Lake Rotorua.
It almost looks real.

Teremoe - A Waka Taua

This is one of those times when I opted for the close up detail of a thing, rather than the traditional overview. I often think the details of an object say more about it that a simple shot that shows it in totality.
So this is Teremoe - a waka taua
(A War Canoe)
Photographed at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa

According to the Te Papa information panels the waka is made of totara and was a bequest of the Hipango family in 1930. "When Teremoe came to the Dominion Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) in 1930, it was reconstructed as a waka taua by Thomas Heberley, the museum's resident carver. He added the tauiho (prow), which came from Matata in the Bay of Plenty and the taurapa (stern post), which came from Papaitonga Horowhenua. he also carved the rauawa (upperside planking) [below].

"Teremoe once belonged to upper river leaders, Te Reimana Te Kaporere and Matene Rangitauira, both of whom were involved in wars against the Pakeha government in the 1860s. Teremoe saw action in the hostilities that broke out on the river, including the battle between lower and upper river parts of the Whanganui iwi, fought at Moutoa Island, near Ranana. Teremoe was also involved in the pursuit of the guerrilla leader, Te Kooti Arikirangi in 1869, when both syupporters and opponents of the colonial givernment collaborated to drive him out of the region." [Quotes from Te Papa information plaques]. www.tepapa.govt.nz

A Portrait - 18

Young Girl on a Waka Unua

Kaikoura

April 2010. Ajr

Moko and A Cultural Journey

These are two of my favourite photographs, taken at the Waka Wananga at Kaikoura back in April. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time as this young Ngai Tahu waka ama (outrigger canoe) paddler lent a hand to raise the sail on the beautiful waka unua (double-hulled voyaging canoe) that was the focus of the weekend workshop on the history and rennaissance of Maori ocean voyaging and celestial navigation traditions. An independent group of Ngai Tahu waka ama enthusiasts had organised the weekend to prepare their crew of 20 for their first waka unua voyage around Hauraki Gulf in Auckland. You can read more about this in my previous blog entries by clicking on Waka or Voyaging Waka in the label line below this entry.

More on Waka

I thought I'd throw in a few more of my favourite shots from the Waka Wananga at Takanga Marae in Kaikoura that I reported on recently for Ngai Tahu's Te Karaka Magazine.

It was the first time a waka unua (above) - a double-hulled voyaging waka - had been launched in Ngai Tahu waters for possibly hundreds of years and for the young Ngai Tahu crew intent upon reviving Ngai Tahu's maritime traditions, it turned out to be a spectacular weekend.

But it wasn't just about waka unua, several of the particpants had brought along waka ama (outrigger canoes) - everything from one-man to double and multi-crew canoes took to the Kaikoura waters. And for those down from the Waikato (and those originally from Hawaii), there was something pretty special about seeing waka ama gkliding across the ocean in front of the majestic, snow-capped Kaikoura Ranges. If you'd like to see more photographs and words on this event, click on Waka in the label line below this post.

Introductory Words on Waka

When most people think of a Maori waka (canoe), they think of a waka taua - a war canoe - one of those magnificent traditional craft carved out of a totara or a kauri log, and paddled by a muscly crew of dozens. This is the sort of thing I'm talking about - above - this being the supreme waka taua, the biggest of them all, Ngatokimatawhaorua, which was carved in 1935 for the 1940 centennial celebrations at Waitangi. It requires 120 paddlers and now resides at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in Paihia, Northland.

It is easy to get confused of course, especially when you bring waka ama and waka unua into the mix. A waka ama is an outrigger canoe, as illustrated above and below.Waka ama come in a range of sizes from one-man, two-man to the larger versions as shown below.

Unlike a waka taua, which is tapu and ritualised and does not permit female paddlers, a waka ama is a popular racing craft that permits both male and female crew.

A waka unua is another kettle of fish altogether. These are the large, double-hulled voyaging waka that ancient Polynesian cultures, including Maori, used to navigate the oceans. These are the waka that brought Maori to New Zealand shores. These are the waka that few people have seen in action. These are the waka that are the focus of a revival of interest in early Polynesian voyaging and celestial navigation. Among New Zealand Maori, the 'godfathers' of that revival are Hekenukumai Busby (Ngapuhi),Matahi Brightwell (ngati Porou) and Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr (Tainui).

I recently attended a Waka Wananga at Ngati Kuri'sTakahanga Marae in Kaikoura. It was organised by a group of enterprising young Ngai Tahu waka ama enthusiasts, who are passionate about and committed to the revival of Ngai Tahu voyaging traditions. There to impart his rich knowledge of waka unua and voyaging traditions, was Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr (above & below), a man with nearly 30 years of experience on all types of waka. Among his many achievements in the field, is the fact that he has paddled as crew (since he was 17) and now as captain of Taheretikitiki, the royal waka taua of Turangawaewae, for both the late Maori Queen and now the Maori King.

Under Hoturoa's tuition, the 20 young Ngai Tahu crew members received a crash course in the finer details of sailing waka unua, in the lead up to their week-long voyage around Hauraki Gulf, out from Auckland, on the full-sized waka unua, Aotearoa 1 - a journey that started on April 25. Hoturoa and his whanau had driven down from Hamilton with his smaller training waka unua, Pumaiterangi, which out out to sea at Jimy Amers Beach, in Kaikoura. It was an historic moment and probably the first time a waka unua had sailed in Ngai Tahu waters for hundreds of years. Everyone who sailed on her came ashore 'buzzing' with excitement. Organiser of the wananga, Eruera Tarena (Ngai Tahu) summed it up: "This is it. This is the beginning of something big for all of us. We've been passionate about waka ama and the possibility of bringing Ngai Tahu's maritime traditions back to life for the last decade. Now we're on our way. This is one step closer and it's a pretty special moment," he says, with waves washing around his legs. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz www.tekaraka.co.nz

One Waka, One Lake

A Rare Sight

One Waka

(canoe)

Crossing the lake

Clearwater Estate, Christchurch

In Training

Some were more energetic than others at Ngai Tahu's 2009 Hui-a-Tau at Takutai o Te Titi Marae at Colac Bay, 45 minutes southwest of Invercargill last weekend. Well known as an excellent surfing beach, the tides turned on moderate conditions on the last sunny day (after a massive storm the day before) and some of the waka paddlers were able to get out onto the ocean to practise for upcoming Oceania waka championships. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz