Piri Weepu and Inia Maxwell went on an adventure around Rotorua for Piri's Tiki Tour airing on Māori Television. Photo / Supplied
Piri Weepu and Inia Maxwell went on an adventure around Rotorua for Piri's Tiki Tour airing on Māori Television. Photo / Supplied
From one legend to another, Rotorua's Inia Maxwell has shared a slice of his whenua with All Black legend Piri Weepu for Māori Television.
In season two of Piri's Tiki Tour the rugby great sets out on a different kind of tour around Aotearoa to see whether his skills onthe field are matched in gathering kai.
Weepu takes us along for the ride as he travels around Aotearoa meeting hearty, local characters as they guide him through what they do best; diving, hunting, fishing and general foraging.
Maxwell (Ngāti Rangiwewehi), the prominent kapa haka expert who has also served as the cultural advisor on major films like Invictus, was given the chance to show off his fishing skills but he said the only thing that wasn't awesome was the weather.
"It took us two hours to get a bite ... It was a bit hard because you want to show New Zealand that you can fish so I hope it comes across the weather wasn't exactly easy.
"We couldn't get out the first day so that's when I had to deploy the Rotorua plan."
Fishing in Lake Rotorua was almost cancelled due to the poor weather. Photo / File
Weepu was a professional rugby player for 16 years and chalked up 72 tests for the All Blacks but since retiring from rugby he has found a new passion for diving, hunting and the great outdoors.
After doing some quick thinking Maxwell found Weepu's middle name, Awahou, online and realised it held a connection to the awa (river) on his father's side.
