Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou Katoa

Nga Mihi nui ki a koutou! Welcome to Arawai's blog on kaupapa waka in Aotearoa and the Pacific with particular emphasis on the waka hourua "Te Aurere" and Te Tai Tokerau Tarai Waka Inc. The focus here will largely be on non-commercial news. For news of the cultural tourism operation of the waka click here to go to our Facebook page.



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti on the move

Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti left Doubtless Bay at 7:40 am on Wednesday 12 October en route to Auckland to take part in the celebrations at Waka Maori for the Rugby World Cup 2011.  Ngahiraka will spend some time in Auckland before being sailed down to Tauranga by Jack Thatcher. 

The maiden voyage down to Auckland is being captained by Stan Conrad who will be in an ideal position to compare the impact of the different hull design on Ngahiraka (a "V" shape) compared with rounded hull of Te Aurere.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Canoe is the People

The Canoe Is the People: Indigenous Navigation in the Pacific is the second of a
series of interactive CD-ROMs created as part of UNESCO’s Local and Indigenous
Knowledge Systems (LINKS) programme.  

The CD-ROM includes 77 videos, 41 stories and accounts, 40 images and diagrams about indigenous navigation in the Pacific.   Hekenukumai features in one video explaining how to prepare and select the right tree to build a canoe.

The CD-ROM is free of charge to educational institutions and individuals.  Click here for more information.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Te Aurere in Auckland part of three-site strategy

Hekenukumai brought Te Aurere down to Auckland on 26th November as part of a new three-site strategy for Tarai Waka.
Aurere will remain the home-base of operations for Tarai Waka with a major focus on waka building and carving led by Hekenukumai and Hemi Eruera.  This will include setting up a new carving school.  Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti will also be based at Aurere using the mooring in Mangonui Harbour.  Ngahiraka will be used for sailing during wananga at Aurere and from time to time may operate out of Tauranga.
Auckland will become the main centre for Tarai Waka's sail training led by Stan Conrad using Te Aurere.  The waka is now based at the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum and will begin a cultural tourism operation on 3rd January 2011.
In Tauranga, Jack Thatcher has set up a new Trust "Nga Kuri a Tarawhata Waka Society" with a special focus on navigation.  Jack will run wananga in Tauranga as well as participating in Tarai Waka wananga at Aurere.
This three site strategy maintains the overall integrity of Tarai Waka while reducing the travel demands placed on Jack and Stan.