In 1990 a Top of the South Island Waka Taua was built by Te Runanganui o Te Tau Ihu a Maui for the Waitangi Day celebration of New Zealand's 150 years.
Waitangi Day in 1990 was special, as it was the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The largest gathering ever seen of Māori tribal war canoes (waka taua) at Waitangi was one of the centrepieces of the celebrations. This followed an ambitious national programme to build a fleet of ornately carved waka and assemble them at Waitangi as a demonstration of Māori pride and unity. The 22 strong fleet, powered by 1000 paddlers, also fulfilled a dream of Tainui leader Princess Te Puea Herangi that had been curtailed 50 years earlier by World War II.
A Top of the South Island Waka Taua was built by Te Runanganui o Te Tau Ihu o te waka a Māui (the confederation of the nine Marlborough and Nelson tribes) for the event. It was the sole representative from the South Island. This waka, Te Awatea Hou, no longer exists, apart from carvings held at the Nelson Provincial Museum, however a representation of the prow of Te Awatea Hou was made for the launch of the Prow website and for subsequent educational and cultural use in the community, by Karl Wulff of the Community Arts Workshop. The representation was made according to sketches by Tim Wraight, based on information about the original waka and the stories which it depicts in its carvings, provided by Marlin Elkington. Marlin has provided further detail about those stories, which reflect local pūrākau (legends and stories):
1991
1992
1993-
Story by: Marlin Elkington
About Te Awatea Hou
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About the 1990 Waitangi day waka celebrations:
The Nelson Provincial Museum holds: