War canoe takes fight to Valencia

The 14m waka is packed into a special container for the trip. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The taua waka (war canoe) Te Ika a Maui will ply the waters once sailed by the Spanish Armada when it arrives in Valencia to take part in a number of events for the America's Cup.

The waka, the work of master carver and sailor Hekenukumai (Hector) Busby, is skipping this year's Waitangi Day celebrations to mark the official handover of the event from Auckland to the Spanish port of Valencia.

The waka will also escort Team New Zealand's boat out to the first race in April.

Maori from Northland to the Bay of Plenty will fly to Valencia to paddle the pan-tribal canoe for the ceremonies organised by Tourism New Zealand.

Te Ika a Maui was carved for the 1990 celebrations to mark 150 years of the signing of the Treaty and it normally lies alongside the majestic 30m Ngatokimatawhaorua waka on the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi.

In 2005 the waka was at the centre of a dawn ceremony watched by hundreds of thousands of San Francisco residents to mark the exhibition Toi Maori: Art from the Maori People of New Zealand.

A special container has been built for the waka.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said the waka and Maori culture would give New Zealand a big profile at the cup.