A Waka Odyssey: Kupe brings booming energy to Wellington’s heart

The large scale performance involved thousands and was the opening act for the New Zealand Festival

Thousands packed out the capital's inner harbour last night to pay tribute to one of the first voyagers to arrive in New Zealand, hundreds of years before James Cook outlined the country.

Polynesian explorer Kupe first landed his waka in the harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. A large statue now stands in the area but last night he was remembered again – this time in a large scale performance.

'Kupe Hautoa', is a haka especially composed by Mana whenua Te atiawa Taranaki Whānui.

A fleet of four waka hourua and around 30 waka ama and waka taua performed on the sea while his story was told by former Shortland Street actor Te Kohe Tuhaka.

A large golden barge which depicted a star that led the voyagers on journeys brought the performance to its finale, with Maori songstress Maisey Rika standing onboard acting as Kupe’s wife Kuramarotini.

Waka on Wellington Harbour launch the New Zealand Festival.

This week, the waka houora crew had to navigate through large swells from ex-Cyclone Gita, with one waka unable to complete the journey. Another arrived just as the show was starting.

The inner-harbour will become a stage with wakas performing on the water to a chorus of hundreds of singers.

One of the captains, Raihania Tipoki, said people often don’t realise the challenges from being at sea that go beyond navigating. This include the pressures put on family back home while the voyagers are at sea, keeping the energy on the waka and dealing with the elements.

"You check the forecast and it might say 25 to 35 knots, but when you get out there into what we call Te Moana-a-Raukawa or what we call, the Cook Strait, it might be 50 or 60 knot winds."

The show ended with the booming sound of a haka from 1000 people on land and in the waka as well as a 300-strong mass choir at points around the waterfront.

'A Waka Odyssey: Kupe kicked off the New Zealand Festival, which runs from February 23 to March 18.

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