Festival sets sail with waka odyssey
About 3000 years of voyaging history was summed up in one night as some 20,000 people gathered on Wellington’s waterfront to witness the arrival of a fleet of waka, and the opening of the New Zealand Festival.
Some even climbed Kupe’s statue to view the event.
As the sun set last night, 1000 people performed a haka while four double-hulled waka horua circled Wellington Harbour, marking the end of A Waka Odyssey.
Waka paddler Chris Renwick said noone had ever seen anything like the showcase before. The number of waka involved was unprecedented, and the event had brought wha¯nau together.
Standing on raised platforms, with their voices projected across the harbour, actor Te Kohe Tuhaka, from Shortland Street, and Ma¯ori songstress Maisey Rika told the story of Kupe and his wife, Kuramarotini.
A choir paid tribute to Polynesian explorer Kupe’s discovery of Aotearoa, with the odyssey symbolising the first landing of the waka Matahorua in the harbour.
Morrie Love, kaitiaki [guardian] for the waka and co-ordinator, said they had never organised something on this scale before. ‘‘I suspect we’ll never see anything like this again. It’s ambitious.’’
Love said the waka travelled from the Far North, Auckland, Tauranga and even Samoa for the event.
The event’s creative director, Anna Marbrook, said the journey of the waka and the performance aimed to capture the stories of the voyage to New Zealand.
‘‘At the heart of that are 3000 years of voyaging history.’’
Warren Maxwell, who is known for his work with Fat Freddy’s Drop and Trinity Roots, composed the music for the event.
‘‘A Waka Odyssey is a story about where humanity sits in the universe, it comes from navigating by the stars and that has meant the music has been on a fully Bowie galactic trip. It went from being a cultural trip to a galactic adventure.’’
One of the waka captain, Raihania Tipoki, said it had taken massive preparation to co-ordinate the many crews.
‘‘The first week of the New Zealand Festival has been dedicated to the voyaging kaupapa so it’s a great way to launch into this festival,’’ he said.
There were plenty of challenges to overcome, including former Cyclone Gita, which saw the fleet temporarily backtrack and take refuge in Napier harbour.
The participation was led by Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, a leader in the movement to teach the skills and traditions of voyaging and celestial navigation across Aotearoa.
The New Zealand Festival runs until March 18. For events and bookings, see festival.co.nz
‘‘I suspect we’ll never see anything like this again. It’s ambitious.’’
Morrie Love, co-ordinator and kaitiaki for the waka