America's Cup waka leaves NZ
23 Feb 2007
An ornate taua waka - Māori war canoe - is being shipped from Auckland to Valencia to mark the official handover of the America’s Cup from the previous cup host city to the new hosts.
On 7 February 2007, the waka left New Zealand - host of the 2003 America’s Cup - and will arrive in the Spanish port in early March.
The waka will also escort Emirates Team New Zealand's NZL 92 out to the first Louis Vuitton Cup race in April. It will be paddled by an 18-man crew from Māori tribes around the upper North Island of New Zealand.
Te Ika a Maui
The work of master carver and sailor Hekenukumai (Hector) Busby, Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui) is no stranger to the limelight.
It was originally carved for the 1990 celebrations to mark 150 years of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and is usually part of New Zealand's annual Waitangi Day celebrations.
Carved from the mighty kauri tree, the waka is 16m long and weighs 1.25 tonnes.
The carvings on the waka represent the whale (the first-born child) and the dolphin (the second child) of Hinemoana - wife of Kiwa, one of the male guardians of the ocean according to Māori mythology.
When not taking part in ceremonies, the waka lies alongside the majestic 30m Ngatokimatawhaorua waka on the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands.
Taking Māori culture to Valencia
However, for now, the waka has the important job of bringing Māori culture to Europe.
Taking the waka to Valencia is an initiative of Tourism New Zealand and Toi Māori Aotearoa, an organisation that promotes Māori art and culture in New Zealand and around the world.
These topics may also be of interest to you
|
|
|
www.newzealand.com Pages
|
|
|
Other Sites
|
|
|
|
