Hekenukumai Busby could set a boat's course from here to Rarotonga with a glance at the stars and he wants young Maori to learn the ancient Polynesian skill.
He is close to starting construction on a $1 million wananga (school) to teach waka building and celestial navigation on a reserve on his whanau land at Aurere, north of Taipa.
Now 81, the waka tohunga sees the creation of an education centre to ensure Polynesian navigation arts will not be lost as his "last little effort, and then it will be up to the boys who want to keep going".
Mr Busby was cautious yesterday when asked to comment on being appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the New Year Honours list, after receiving an MBE in 1994.
"Nothing to do with me," he said, loath to blow his own trumpet.