Meka Whaitiri's mobile phone was the only casualty yesterday when she and a group of waka-ama paddlers ventured out of Napier's inner harbour to greet some special guests.
Ms Whaitiri, chief executive of Ngati Kahungunu Iwi, has spent the past couple of months preparing for the arrival of the waka-hourua (double-hull
vessel), called Te Matau a Maui.
Supporters, iwi leaders and spectators stood near Perfume Point to catch a glimpse of the waka as it approached the entrance to the harbour about 2pm yesterday.
The waka docked near the Napier Sailing Club and would be there for about three days, available for the public to visit. A few short trips out into Hawke Bay could be on the cards.
The 10-member crew - seven men and three women - were headed by well-known water safety campaigner Robert Hewitt from Porangahau and were to be hosted at Matahiwi Marae, near Clive, this week.
The waka set sail from Auckland almost a week ago, stopped at Tauranga at the weekend and continued to Hawke's Bay.
It was launched in Auckland in June 2009 and was to be one in a fleet of six representing Pacific nations to set sail to Hawaii next year to protest against international navy exercises in the Pacific Ocean.
It was envisaged it would be based at Ahuriri under Ngati Kahungunu when it returned from Hawaii, to be used as an educational resource to teach young people how to sail using celestial navigation methods.
There are also potential tourism opportunities, which could help fund the vessel's maintenance and training of crews when it is based at Ahuriri.
"Robert is keen to get as many people as possible on the waka for people to experience it, but it'll be also a good chance to show it off to potential sponsors," Ms Whaitiri said.
"We've been working on an investment plan looking at the role of sponsors and we feel the benefits of a waka hourua go beyond the iwi.
"We have the Rugby World Cup here in 2011 - and what a sight it would be to have the waka taking guests sailing along our coastline.
"We want to promote these ideas to investors ... It's just a matter of getting them to see and taste the experience of the waka themselves."
