Tōia mai te waka

On Anzac Day 25 April, the waka haurua ‘Haunui’ arrived in the estuary and settled on the Waikouaiti awa. There was a big turnout of locals, the wider community and friends to witness and be a part of the arrival. Our tamariki performed the haka pōwhiri “Tōia mai’.

Over the past few years our very own Brendon Flack has been a part of the waka kaupapa, sailing throughout the Pacific and also over to San Francisco. It was from there that he became known to the crew as ‘Uncle B” or “The Top Master Chef on the waka. Our whānau here at Puketeraki were very fortunate to spend a week with the waka and the crew, who were from all different parts of the Pacific. Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki, whānau, friends and the wider community would like to thank the Haunui waka crew for their time, commitment, and the love they have for this kaupapa that is our past and forever will be our future, nō reira e āku kauhoe e mau nei ki ngā tikanga a kui mā a koro mā, nei te reo mihi ki a koutou katoa. [Read more…]