1. What is your tupuna waka and the waka you currently are kaitiaki for?
I descend from the Tainui waka. I am currently in the process of making two waka taurua sailing waka. Our whānau are also kaitiaki of 5 double hull paddling waka, we take manuhiri and tauira out from Kaiteretere and into the Abel Tasman National Park.
2. What is your favourite waka saying?
“Manaaki moana, manaaki tangata, haere whakamua (Care for the sea, care for the people, move forward as one).
3. What is your role and responsibility as the representative of your rohe on the Te Hau Kōmaru Board?
My role is to uphold the whakapapa and goals of Te Hau Kōmaru and to represent Te Tau Ihu o te Waka a Māui and help increase awareness of the waka hourua kaupapa here. To help achieve this I am on the Waka festival sub committee where we have plans in place to hold the next Te Hau Kōmaru Festival at Kaiteretere (Kaiteriteri) in Te Tau Ihu, April 2024.
4. What do you hope to achieve?
To be able to hold the festival in Te Tau Ihu will be a massive achievement. There is very little exposure of waka hourua here, hosting the festival in Te Tau Ihu will help to lift the profile of the kaupapa. For the whānau and the public to be able to see the waka hourua on Te Tai o Aorere (Tasman bay) and up close and learn the mātauranga will be a fulfilling outcome for all involved. I hope this will be the start of seeing more waka hourua in Te Tau Ihu moving forward. Being on the board with the other representatives from around the motu is amazing and I’m learning all the time. Definitely lots of laughs to be had along the way and building the foundations for Te Hau Kōmaru and waka hourua for a robust future is exciting to be a part of. Ina te mīharo!