01/06/2026
Ahakoa pukepuke te moana, ka whakawhitia e Ngātiwai!
Ngā mihi whānui ki a Ngā Mata a Karewa e tauawhi nei i a Ngātiwai ki te whakaoho anō i ngā mātauranga whakatere waka me ngā tikanga o te moana.
This long weekend, our Level One cohort of tauira from across Ngātiwai completed their first traditional navigation wānanga under Te Marae Moana o Manaia Tūranga Rau at Te Whānau a Rangiwhakaahu Marae in Matapōuri.
The reintroduction of this mātauranga is significant for us as Ngātiwai because it reconnects us to the knowledge systems of our tūpuna - to the stars, the tides, the winds, and the ocean pathways that carried our people across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa and throughout our own rohe for generations. This is more than learning navigation; it is the reclamation and continuation of identity, confidence, and ancestral knowledge.
Alongside traditional navigation, tauira were given the opportunity to learn practical sailing skills and deepen their understanding of how to care for and maintain our waka hourua, Hinemoana II.
This knowledge sharing ensures that our people are not only able to navigate our moana, but also uphold the responsibilities of kaitiakitanga that come with caring for these taonga and carrying this kaupapa into the future.
Ka tuku i ā mātou mihi hōhonu ki a Manihera Forbes, Kiharoa Nuku, me Ngaa Mata a Karewa mō tō koutou whakaahei kia tutuki ai tēnei kaupapa. E mihi ana mō te wairua manaaki i tohaina ai ēnei mātauranga, me tō koutou ngākau whakaiti, tō koutou arataki, me tō koutou ū ki te whakaora anō i ēnei tikanga tuku iho.
To our future navigators - may you continue to look to the horizon with courage and curiosity. May you trust the wisdom handed down to you, remain grounded in who you are and where you come from, and carry this kaupapa forward for the generations yet to come.
Ahakoa tū ana ahau ki uta, e taupunga ana ki tai!
Photos Credit: graceaupouriphotography
