A significant award was given to the sailors of Te Waka Tapu in Te Wharewaka, Waitangi, yesterday. This group was acknowledged by Te Rōpū Kaitiaki o Waitangi and was praised for their efforts whilst sailing the breadth of Rapa Nui to strengthen the ties between the islands of Polynesia.
Ngahiraka Mai i Tawhiti, the boat that accompanied Te Aurere on its recent voyage sailed into the harbour carrying its sailors.
It's been 30 years since Sir James Henare established the idea of modern descendants reaching the three corners of the Pacific via traditional sailing techniques.
In times gone by, the sea was the home of our ancestors and it is great that today, we are now seeing the emergence of new steersman.
They battled with the rough seas of Tangaroa many times, however, they still remained strong.