Waka Ama: Celebrate new year at the water's edge

This weekend Parua Bay will host the fifth annual Hoe Matariki regatta, which sees children and family celebrated alongside the Maori New Year.

The regatta, hosted by Parihaka Waka Ama on their fifth anniversary, will triple as the close of the paddling season for some paddlers, Parihaka Sports Club captain Analatu Wolfgramm-McKay said.

"We look forward to this event every year," Wolfgramm-McKay explained. "Because it's our regatta and most local teams get to compete against teams from out of the region.

"The day for us is really about celebrating all that we love, paddling, being with whanau, sharing kai and acknowledging achievement. We are proud to host paddlers from throughout Tai Tokerau and other regions and to show off our little piece of paddling paradise, Terenga Paraoa - Whangarei Harbour.

"Hoe Matariki is also about giving new paddlers and less competitive paddlers an opportunity to experience a regatta."

She added that this year the club had focused on promoting the junior section and a strong field of juniors from the Auckland region were coming to compete on Saturday. Some of Parihaka's new paddlers will be using Saturday's event as a graduation as they compete in their first waka ama race.

Parihaka are hoping to build on their success this year at the national sprints and are planning to take teams to the world sprints in Rio de Janeiro in 2014, with world sprint champion Richard Pehi and his gold medal-winning team Parihaka Pirates leading the charge. The club also has a team training to go to Hawaii in August and a squad going to Rarotonga in November.

Another unique feature of the day is the awarding of the Parihaka Hoe Matariki trophy "Taonga O Marie". This taonga, with its own special voyaging history, is carved from a fallen branch of Tane Mahuta, and is awarded annually to a Tai Tokerau club chosen by the previous year's winner to recognise paddler and club development. The 2012 winner was Ngati Rehia from Te Tii in acknowledgement of all the work the club has done with supporting junior paddlers.

Wolfgramm-McKay said Parihaka wanted to acknowledge their partners at Whangarei Cruising Club for the venue and support boats and skippers.

To register, or for further information, email parihakasports@hotmail.co.nz or go to the Parihaka Waka Ama website - http://www.sportsground.co.nz/parihakawakaama/52230/2