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A festival celebrating voyaging waka will be held in Tauranga this month.
Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, the chair of interim national waka hourua body Te Hau Kōmaru, says the festival aims to raise awareness about waka hourua and the voyages they have been making across the ocean to reconnect with ancestral homelands.
It will also share understandings on the environmental, astronomy, hauora, creative arts and community connectivity that have come from the revival.
The festival from May 19 to 23 will be hosted by Te Puna o Rangiriri, the voyaging trust of navigator Jack Thatcher.
It will feature the waka Hinemoana, which is currently in Porirua after sailing from Kawhia to Waitohi-Picton to support the Long Distance Waka Ama Nationals.
Hinemoa will be joined at Tūranganui ā Kiwa-Gisborne by Te Tai Rāwhiti for the voyage to MoÌ„tiÌ„tiÌ„ Island where they will be met by Haunui from Tāmaki Makaurau and Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti from Tauranga for the short trip into Tauranga Moana.
The national waka hourua festival Te Hau Kōmaru includes school and public interactive events on May 20 and 21 at the Tauranga Bridge Marina, and a public open day on May 22.
There will also be book launches and the debut of waiata and video from IA Māori Music, and Tauranga Library events.
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