Waka exposed by highway work
What is believed to be a partially complete waka has been uncovered during excavation work on a motorway project in Puhoi, north Auckland.
The discovery was made on April 16 near the O¯ kahu inlet north of the Johnstone’s Hill Tunnel on State Highway 1, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said.
The waka is thought to be about 10 metres long and still connected to the trunk of a kauri tree.
‘‘A digger identified a wooden object under the surface of the inlet. The mud around the object was carefully removed, exposing a large rectangular wooden object that extended across the excavation,’’ NZTA’s Chris Hunt said.
Crown/Ma¯ ori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis called it a ‘‘significant discovery that will grow our understanding of where and how waka were made. It reinforces traditional ko¯ rero around the use of resources including waka forests, where particular trees were identified and nurtured for waka construction’’.
Hunt said work had ceased immediately and an onsite archaeologist was notified, along with iwi partners Ho¯ kai Nuku.
‘‘It’s an amazing discovery and the Transport Agency has strict protocols for when unidentified artefacts are uncovered. We will treat the site with the utmost care and respect.’’
It was not yet known how old the waka was, who it belonged to or how it came to be left in an unfinished state.
Hunt said the immediate objective was to secure the discovery and decide how to preserve it, as the wood would deteriorate in contact with the air. It was expected the object would be taken to a new site.
The find would not delay the motorway project, he said.