'Tupperwaka' ready for Rugby World Cup launch

Construction of the Waka Maori entertainment venue is progressing apace at Te Wero Island at the Viaduct Harbour. Photo / Richard Robinson

The giant $2 million Waka Maori at Te Wero Island on Auckland's waterfront is a day ahead of its building schedule and will be ready to open next week.

A spokesman for Te Puni Kokiri, the Maori Development Ministry, says the event programme will be the "high point" of Maori Rugby World Cup activities.

But yesterday tribal owners Ngati Whatua o Orakei - which pitched in $100,000 of the $2 million cost funded by taxpayers - were trying to keep the secrets of the waka, and a staff member trailed Herald staff around public property close to the construction.

At the entertainment centre, tourists will be able to soak up the sounds of Maori bands, kapa haka and traditional Maori instruments once it opens on October 13 for 11 days.

A rugby exhibition runs daily and an artisan village will promote carving, weaving and other arts adjacent to the waterfront waka docking.

Although it was once dubbed the "tupperwaka" and "plastic" by critics, tourists walking over Te Wero Bridge called the structure "imaginative" as they stopped to admire it.

Both the decorative taurapa and tauihi sternpost and prow are still to go up, and the internal fit-out is yet to be completed.

However, once the finishing touches are done it will be the most visible Maori architectural landmark in the central business district.

The ministry's project manager Maori, Paora Ammunson, said the waka would add to the vibrancy and colour of the tournament.

"You can take something that is visually unmistakably Polynesian and Maori and you can use it to promote commerce, trade and wonderful art - and also be a place of manaaki [hospitality], showcase and fun.

"We're getting to the end of Rugby World Cup and everything's turning to Auckland and Waka Maori. It is the highpoint in our national Maori engagement."

Yesterday, when the Herald visited Te Wero, the manager contracted to run events at the site, Renata Blair, directed inquiries to PR consultant Darrell Carlin.

An iwi member, who refused to give his name, said he was following Herald staff on public property to ensure "you don't talk to anybody".

Mr Carlin said Mr Blair did not want the Herald anywhere near the site.

Past stories revealed that the iwi had considered sending the waka to the scrapheap to exit the investment after the cup, and examined the ties between Mr Blair as a private contractor and his brother Ngarimu, who worked to convince the Government of the merits of the waka project.

"[Renata Blair's] just absolutely adamant that he doesn't want you anywhere near the place ... We are getting good media offshore ... [We'll] stay with those people," Mr Carlin said.

Later, in a emailed statement, Mr Carlin said pictures could not be taken on site yesterday as there was too much construction activity.

WAKA MAORI
* 16m high x 75m long.
* 500sq m of floor space.
* Can hold 400 people.
* Performances daily from October 13.
* Maori rugby exhibition, artists, wood and greenstone carving.