December 08, 2022
Portage Crossing set to go
The 30th annual Portage Crossing between the Waitemata and Manukau harbours is on this Saturday come rain, hail or sun.
The event, which starts at Okahu Bay and ends at Mangere Bridge, follows the route across the isthmus taken by the Tainui waka on its voyage to Kawhia.
Weather concerns meant a postponement two weeks ago, but organiser James Papali’i says nothing is going to stop them this time.
He says it’s become a major community celebration.
“The community we’ve grown up with in Mangere, South Auckland, southside, this is a positive place and it’s a beautiful place with long history, our Tainui waka, for our rangatahi to start being proud of where we come from, where we live, our communities, and show the rest of Aotearoa this place, Mangere, Otahuhu, Mount Wellington in a place to celebrate,” he says.
The free celebration starts at the Mangere Bridge Reserve from 11 am, with the waka set to arrive after the early afternoon high tide.