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Regional | Education

Take a look inside Gisborne's Tairawhiti Waka

Gisborne's Tairawhiti waka will open to the public next week. Traditional Navigator Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp takes Te Kāea on an exclusive tour.

Tairawhiti waka will open for scheduled public tours come Monday.

"Everyone is welcome, we want people to come and engage our waka and love our waka like we do and come the school term we want to start with the school children."

Crew training for the vessel also begins next week

Tairawhiti Waka

Tairawhiti Waka will be open for free scheduled public tours from next Monday onwards. Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp takes Te Kāea for an exclusive tour. Reporter Talisa Kupenga has more tonight.

Posted by Te Ao Māori News on Monday, January 1, 2018

"We've got some local people that are trained but they have their own full-time work so we'll probably start with Turanga Ararau, who are one of our partners in this, and maybe start with training their young people."

But for those planning to visit there are some rules.

"Take your shoes off before you come on-board we have no drugs no alcohol no smoking, so all of those things that we'd like respected and other than that just respect our waka and we'll respect you.

In addition to educational opportunities commercial opportunities were also on the horizon.

"It is free to come and look over the vessel but until we get our commercial licence, which won't be for another three months or so we won't be taking any commercial paid passengers out."

The waka has the capacity for 50 people for a one-day sea trip.