Waka to go on display

A Northland man who has played a major part in the revival of waka ama paddling in New Zealand now has one of his waka in a major Maori exhibition at Te Papa.
Kris Kjeldsen started the Nga Hoe Horo canoe building company in 1988 so he, in partnership with Bo Herbert, could build canoes for the IPCF World outrigger sprints, held in Auckland in 1990.
The firm's name was changed to Moana Nui in 1990 and three years later Kris's son Maui joined the business. Maui specialised in building laminated wood paddles, which were popular in New Zealand, California and Pacific nations.
The company's Surfrigger solo outrigger canoe has also proven popular among New Zealand paddlers, as well as internationally. It was used in the World Sprints in Fiji in 1998.
The Seahorse canoe - a sit on top version of the Surfrigger - was used in the 2000 World Sprints in Australia.
Kris Kjeldsen's waka is on display in the ET Ake: Standing Strong exhibition that showcases ancestral treasures alongside contemporary artworks to reflect the artistic breadth of Maori culture.
ET Ake: Standing Strong will run until Sunday. It starts an international tour in October.