A waka maumahara (memorial waka) to honour the whakapapa of the paa of Waitawhita and the many hapuu connected through the eponymous ancestor Paoa (from whom Ngaati Paoa descend), was recently unveiled in Orini.
This project was a partnership between Taupiri marae, Zeagold Nutrition and Waikato District Council.
The waka maumahara was commissioned by Zeagold and carved by Te Rangimaria Biddle (pictured) and Tukukino George. The location of the waka is a site of ancestral significance and honours the journey of Kaura and her descendants, especially those that carried Paoa back to Hauraki.
The waka reminds us of the values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga as we work and live on this land. It was installed on a council reserve and will stand as a permanent tohu (marker) of the lives and stories that belong to this whenua.
The blessing and unveiling were attended by tangata whenua and tauiwi, including descendants of the earliest families to settle in the area.
Among the special guests were representatives of Ngaati Pikiao, Ngaati Paoa, Mayor Aksel Bech, Deputy Mayor Eugene Paterson, and council and Zeagold staff.
During the ceremony a carved hoe (paddle), named Ngutu Kaakaa (the beak of the Kaakaa bird) was gifted to Mayor Aksel and council to symbolise the front underbelly of a traditional waka.
