What type of waka is a waka ama?
outrigger canoeing
Waka ama is the New Zealand term for the sport of outrigger canoeing. The name distinguishes an outrigger canoe from other types of waka (canoes).
When was waka ama invented?
WAKA AMA IN NEW ZEALAND In New Zealand the first official waka ama club, the Mareikura Canoe Club, was founded on the east coast by Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell in 1985 after he observed and was inspired by Va’a racing in Tahiti.
How fast can a waka go?
On voyages, the waka sail 24 hours per day with the crew working 6-hour watches. The average speed for the Rapanui journey was 5 knots (9.26 km/h), but they can go as fast as 12 knots.
How big is waka ama in NZ?
3500 participants
2021 has again been a challenging year for everyone, due to COVID-19 but there were plenty of positives. The 2021 Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Waka Ama Sprint Nationals saw over 3500 participants, 150 volunteers and 10,000 spectators take part over 7 days. The biggest water sport event happening in the world at the time.
How many people can waka hold?
Waka taua – the largest waka These were up to 30 metres long, and some could hold 100 people. They were beautifully carved at front and back. Warriors used them to go to battle, and the vessels were considered to be sacred.
How big is a waka?
Waka taua (in Māori, waka means “canoe” and taua means “army” or “war party”) are large canoes manned by up to 80 paddlers and are up to 40 metres (130 ft) in length.
What are waka ama canoes made of?
fibreglass
Most waka ama today are built out of composite materials such as fibreglass.
What is waka made of?
tree trunks
Waka are built from tree trunks. In Polynesia, waka were narrow and not very stable, because they were carved from narrow trees. Some canoes had outriggers at the side to keep them steady. But New Zealand had vast forests of big trees such as tōtara and kauri.
What were waka made of?
Waka are built from tree trunks. In Polynesia, waka were narrow and not very stable, because they were carved from narrow trees. Some canoes had outriggers at the side to keep them steady. But New Zealand had vast forests of big trees such as tōtara and kauri.
Who made the first waka?
Polynesians
Polynesian double-hulled canoes Polynesians developed the double-hulled canoe (sometimes called a twin-hulled canoe or catamaran) to sail in the rougher waters of the open Pacific. Some of these canoes were very large – one Fijian ndrua was 36 metres long (Cook’s Endeavour was 33 metres).
What is a waka made of?
How many people are in a waka?
These were up to 30 metres long, and some could hold 100 people. They were beautifully carved at front and back. Warriors used them to go to battle, and the vessels were considered to be sacred.
What were waka used for?
In the past, Māori used waka (canoes) just as we use cars today. New Zealand’s waterways were like roads, running along the coast and up rivers. Waka would be paddled along them, carrying people and goods.
Why is waka important Māori?
Waka in New Zealand Waiata are important to iwi because they help establish the link between people and a particular place. For example, Te Puea Herangi describes paddling a canoe to Ngāruawāhia, to Tūrangawaewae, the footstool of the Kīngitanga.
What is a waka ama?
Waka ama is the New Zealand term for the sport of outrigger canoeing. Waka ama have been used in the Pacific Islands for centuries, but were rare in New Zealand by the time Europeans arrived. 18th-century British explorers saw some double-hulled canoes, but few outrigger canoes.
What happened to the waka in New Zealand?
The different trees available here and their huge size meant that waka in this country eventually became single-hulled and did not need an outrigger float, or ama, to keep their hulls upright. Gradually, over hundreds of years, waka ama went into decline in Aotearoa.
How many waka ama clubs are there in New Zealand?
In 2012 the national body, Waka Ama NZ, represented over 1,000 members in 43 clubs. Most waka ama today are built out of composite materials such as fibreglass. Designers try to make them faster and more responsive. Waka ama clubs often emphasise Māori language and customs associated with waka building and paddling.
What happened to waka ama in Aotearoa?
Gradually, over hundreds of years, waka ama went into decline in Aotearoa. But during the 20th century, Māori travelling to Pacific islands such as Hawai’i and Tahiti observed the continuing tradition of waka ama racing and in the mid-1980s waka ama began to be revived here.