It's jobs for the girls on waka at Waitangi

In a break with tradition, women canoe crews will join men on the water at this Sunday's Waitangi Day celebrations.

The women make up around 90 per cent of a mixed group of 52 people all associated with the Manukau campus of Te Waananga o Aotearoa.

They will crew the waananga's two 26-seat waka, Kahakura and Kahukura, and on Sunday will join the fleet flanking the Waitangi Treaty Grounds' biggest canoe, Ngatoki Matawhaorua, a 35m vessel requiring a minimum of 76 kaihoe, or paddlers.

Northland's pre-eminent waka commander, kaumaatua Wiremu Wiremu, who leads Ngatoki, backed the move to get women on the water for Waitangi Day commemorations.

"There's always been that murmur, and that murmur has become a reality. And good on them."

He admitted that not all his Ngapuhi iwi were happy about the women's participation.

"There are one or two in my courtyard who are not convinced.

"But I can see the changing times, and, perhaps, a better appreciation of our women.

"In many ways, we have not been very gentle with our women."

For Tania Mahuru-Stanley, the waananga's Maori nautical studies programme co-ordinator, it was less about equality than getting as many people as possible to learn, preserve and extend Maori traditions.

Traditionally, men powered waka taua, the war canoes; women's child-bearing role made them too precious to risk in battle, said Mr Wiremu.

However, they did paddle domestic waka tangata (people canoes) and it would be these that the women will crew on Sunday.

For one crew member, Emily Ashby of Haruru Falls, Sunday's role was a privilege. "Women are out there all the time - but [until now], they haven't been part of the taputapu [highly formal and sacred] celebrations of Waitangi."

However, Mrs Ashby, who has just completed the part-time waka course at Te Waananga o Aotearoa, admitted to some apprehension. Crewing a waka was a serious and strenuous business requiring mental, physical and spiritual fitness.

The women would have a vast audience, with organisers expecting 15,000 visitors to the Treaty Grounds.

Mr Wiremu said war canoes were still off-limits to women - that was men's work.