KEY POINTS:
A 13m waka, carved out of a totara tree and buried for at least 150 years, has been restored and displayed at Otorohanga Museum.
It is the only relic of its type here and yesterday local Maori, community members and historians celebrated its unveiling at a ceremony in the town.
Waka restoration co-ordinator Nan Owen (also president of the Otorohanga Historical Society and museum manager) said the waka was unearthed five years ago to the day by a contractor.
"It was discovered in a gravel pit being mined by a local man [Brian Withers] on Rangiatea Rd. It was a partially built, the roots were still on the log. For some reason it was abandoned and it appears successive flooding led to it becoming buried."
Four years of painstaking work was needed to restore the waka to a dry state as it was extremely wet and fragile when discovered.
Auckland University archaeological and conservation expert Dilys Johns provided advice and direction in restoring the waka.
"She came down frequently to treat the wood," Mrs Owen said.
The Crown took ownership of the waka once it was unearthed but has allowed the museum to keep it under certain conditions.
"The Ministry for Culture and Heritage said it had to be housed, so we had to draw up plans for a waka house and raise $125,000 to fund its construction."
The waka house was built around the canoe and was especially designed for the taonga's preservation and protection.
"It's a hugely important relic from the Government point of view and is the only one that exists in New Zealand."
A partnership agreement between Nehe Nehe Nui's regional management committee - acting on behalf of the tangata whenua - and the museum was a requirement of the ministry.
Mrs Owen said grants from charity made the dream of keeping the waka in the local community a reality. "It's a real coup for the town."
The public and tourists would be able to see the waka by appointment only, as the museum was not open all hours. "It's a great taonga, and cannot be touched."
Research is continuing into why the waka was abandoned.
