Kurahaupō waka returned to the shores of Lake Horowhenua

The modern waka Kurahaupō has returned to it's home on the shores of Lake Horowhenua in Levin, after a brief sojourn to Wairarapa.Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō was built and launched to celebrate 150 years of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1990 and, while it shares a name with the waka hourua that once brought people to Aotearoa, it was never designed to be a replica.Descendants of Kurahaupō, including members of Muaūpoko, Rangitāne and Ngāti Apa, gathered at Kohuturoa Marae, directly overlooking the lake, to return the waka to the guardianship of Muaūpoko.Pou Whakahaere of Rangitāne o Wairarapa Trust Mihirangi Hollings told RNZ Rangitāne were blessed that Muaūpoko had cared for the waka for so long."For Muaūpoko to be looking after it for so long, it's been marvellous for them to be able to also share it out further with us... and the amount of people who have said, 'Oh, it needs to go to Tamaki nui-ā-Rua and it needs to go to Manawatū', yes, it needs to go to all of those places."Pou Whakahaere of Rangitāne o Wairarapa Trust Mihirangi Hollings.RNZ/Pokere PaewaiWhen asked about the possibility of returning to Waitangi for the 200-year celebrations of the treaty in 2040, Hollings said: "That's the plan.""My boy, he's 15 now, so he'll be in his 20s, good enough to paddle by then. He should have a few waka ama competitions under his belt by then."Ngāti Pariri hapū chair Matiu Sword said whānau were already talking about exactly that, taking inspiration from the genesis of the waka in 1990."Wouldn't it be great for this generation to be able to take that forward to 2040."Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō is hoisted into place at Kohuturoa marae.RNZ/Pokere PaewaiAt the time the tono (request) came from Rangitāne to take the waka to Wairarapa, it had been tucked away safely in Levin for about 30 years, he said."Here was an opportunity to bring her out and share the kōrero about Kurahaupō waka, but also we knew, because whenever the waka comes, te tini me te mano come out, ay? We knew that this was going to bring a lot of people together, so that was the main thinking behind it."Sword said the waka had been under the guardianship of a local iwi member, who - before he passed - had asked for the waka to be brought to Kohuturoa marae."It was pretty much kept out of the elements and kept safe off the street, you know, on a personal, private residence. I think having that whānau there, the original whānau as part of that responsibility, is why it's been kept in such good condition."Kohuturoa Marae in Levin.RNZ/Pokere PaewaiHollings said it was an amazing two years working towards the exhibition and the waka brought everything together."We've had over 6000 people come through. I've met people from Sweden, I've met people from South Africa."We've had people who have come from Wellington and Hastings, and met in the Wairarapa to catch up.It's been a real drawcard for us, and then on top of that, having all of our tamariki be able to come in and being able to touch their whakapapa, it's something that's uniquely been available to us in this short time."It's things like this where we're able to just tell our stories and be who we are, and we don't have to say, 'I'm right and you're wrong'. This is our Rangitāne story, and to have these opportunities and to be part of this is a historic moment that I'm glad to be here for at this time."Sword said the waka would stay at its current site overlooking the lake for the time being."The further plan is we'll be building a whare for our waka here at the marae, at Kohuturoa marae, and be able to have access down to the lake, and have it stored here alongside some other new projects that are happening here with the wharekai and things like that."The vision is to be able to have annual commemorations, Kurahaupō waka commemorations, have all the iwi, the three iwi and the other Kurahaupō waka iwi, come here on an annual basis, at the very least to celebrate our Kurahaupō whakapapa."Descendants of Kurahaupō, including members of Muaūpoko, Rangitāne and Ngāti Apa, gathered at Kohuturoa Marae.RNZ/Pokere PaewaiPart of the vision is to get the waka back out on the lake, he said."Kurahaupō waka [is] probably thirsty to get out on some water now... and what that brings together as well is all the kaihoe. We've got kaihoe from each of the iwi can come together, have the wānanga, revitalise those haka and all of that, and celebrate those kinship ties back out on the lake with the waka."Sword said the thing that struck him most on the day the waka was returned was the aroha he felt from Rangitāne, after spending five months in such close proximity with the waka."I can only just imagine how it would be like to hand that over, hand that back. I just want to mihi to our relations, and just say we feel the love and we send it back with you."Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō at Kohuturoa marae.RNZ/Pokere Paewai