Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Waka journey nurtures youth

By Laurel Stowell
Whanganui Chronicle·
18 Jan, 2013 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The annual canoe journey by Whanganui Maori is a beautiful and spiritual one and hard to express in words, Lady Martha Taiaroa says.

She was on the first Tira Hoe Waka on the Whanganui River in 1989. This year she was one of about 250 participants, and made part of the journey by road. She especially loved all the waiata (singing). "It was beautiful, right from the start," she said.

About half of this year's waka (canoe) paddlers were young people. "They were very helpful. They helped with the bags, anything we wanted."

It was the first time for 13-year-old Rangituehu Twomey-Waitai, who especially enjoyed socialising with her friends.

The journey had a serious purpose though. Organiser Gerrard Albert said it was a training ground for young people, who graduated to tribal adulthood after paddling the whole two weeks. About 40 received ropes this year, in a special ceremony.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Lady Martha said young people could choose how much of all the wananga (learning experiences) they wanted to take in.

"If you don't make that day count, that's your own fault. You have got to listen, and you have got to go again [to reinforce it]."

This year the Tira Hoe Waka made stops at Ngapuwaiwaha, Ohinepane, Tawata, Whitianga, John Coull Hut, Tieke, Hiruharama, Matahiwi, Pungarehu, Kaiwhaiki, Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens and Putiki. It started in Taumarunui and finished off by tidying up, singing and having photographs taken at Putiki Marae yesterday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Albert has been on each of every one of the canoe journeys, originally as a participant. He said this year the river was quite low after a month with little rain, but it was beautiful and all went well. Unsettled weather was no problem.

"A little bit of rain is a blessing, as far as we are concerned.

"We only get off the river if it is flooded and dangerous."

One of the highlights this year was the unveiling for Hohepa Te Umuroa at Hiruharama/Jerusalem last Monday. At journey's end yesterday, he said, participants would go to their respective homes "and take the wairua of the Tira with us".

The tribe is due to go on to Ratana Pa for the celebrations of prophet TW Ratana's birthday on Wednesday, and a cultural group is to perform at the opening of the Masters' Games. On February 28 a celebration of the 1995 occupation of Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens takes place at the gardens.

This will be followed by a summit for young leaders in early March.

Mr Albert said it was time to make sure young leaders nurtured on the waka journeys had the opportunity to take their places.

"Those of us in our forties will now fall back and support them."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM

Former members are 'more than welcome' to return, RSA Welfare Trust president says.

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP