Hāngī on board as Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival returns

Noenoe Barclay-Kerr, Aotearoa One crew member, with a hāngī platter that will be served on lunch sailings at the Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Kai is being added to waka sailings at Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival for the first time to give participants a "more complete" experience ot Māori culture and history.

The free festival, now into its fifth year, will take place this Saturday on Captain Cook Wharf and on the water.

For the first time, hāngī is being served on lunch and dinner sailings to give festival-goers a more complete Māori cultural experience.

The meal, comprising a selection of pre-prepared traditionally cooked meat, kūmara, vegetables and fried bread will be served on board as participants learn about traditional Māori navigational skills.

Aotearoa One, a 24-metre waka hourua, will be on display at the festival. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

The festival will showcase the region's Māori heritage and culture with waka sailings, kapa haka, Māori kai, arts and crafts and live entertainment.

Richard Clarke, head of major events, said the festival was a great way for people to discover more about how Māori had shaped the region.

"Tāmaki Makaurau has a unique Māori identity that distinguishes it from other cities in the world," Clarke said.

"The festival is a chance for Aucklanders and visitors to learn more and celebrate Maori heritage and the contemporary culture of Tāmaki Makaurau."

For the first time, hāngī is being served on board the waka at this year's waka festival. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Festival-goers this year will also get to learn about rongoā, or traditional Māori medicine, a system of healing comprising diverse practices and an emphasis on the spiritual dimension of health.

Also new this year is a live graf art installation, where a blank 50-metre canvas will be transformed throughout the day into a work of graffiti art by four local graf artists, Bobby "Berst" Hung, Kairau "Haser" Bradley, Monty Collins and Romana Tarau.

The waka us widely regarded among iwi as a cultural icon, capturing voyaging heritage and the birth of Māori culture in New Zealand.

The free, family-friendly festival runs from 10am to 10pm on Saturday - and some waka sailings will be around the same time as when the Prada Cup races are on.

Waka tickets for the lunch and dinner sailings will be available for purchase on the day.

The festival is delivered by Auckland Unlimited in partnership with Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau which represents the region's 19 iwi.

Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival
When: Saturday, January 23, 2021
Where: Captain Cook Wharf, Quay Street
Time: 10am to 10pm, free