Miriarangi Cooper-Richards doesn't know much about the significance of Waitangi Day but she loves being paddled in a waka.
The 6-year-old Te Kura o te Rotoiti girl was one of hundreds of people who had a turn at paddling, or being paddled, in the Te Arawa waka or
Te Wananga o Aotearoa waka tieke at the Rotorua lakefront yesterday.
It was the first time Miriarangi has been in a waka.
Young Miriarangi summed up to the Daily Post her short journey across the lakefront was "kei te pai tena koe"[very good thank you].
More than 200 people congregated at the Scout Hall at the lakefront for a turn on the two waka launched to celebrate Waitangi Day in Rotorua, organiser Putu Mihaka said.
"There was no one on the shore when we first arrived and suddenly there were heaps of people having a look and asking to have rides. People have been really impressed by them," he said.
Celebrations began on Sunday for Te Arawa with several waka escorting more than 70 boats in the wooden boat flotilla from the Okere Arm at Lake Rotoiti to Te Akau Point.
Then about 80 people joined the paddlers at Moutawa Reserve for an afternoon of recreational land and water fun, Mr Mihaka said.
"There was some serious waka ama racing going on.
"It was a very family-orientated day."
The small group of waka and waka ama paddlers was supposed to have paddled from Lake Rotoiti, through the Ohau Channel, Hannahs Bay, Hinemoa Point on to Koura ma Whitiwhiti yesterday morning but were forced to abandon their plans because of the weather.
"It was too rough so we decided to make a safety call and launch at the lakefront," Mr Mihaka said.
