Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs Tai Tokerau's oldest Māori Warden, Henare Hape, 82, of Whangārei. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hugs Tai Tokerau's oldest Māori Warden, Henare Hape, 82, of Whangārei. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pledged that waka — and the deliberate discovery of Aotearoa by Polynesian navigators — will form part of New Zealand's new school history curriculum.
Ardern made the promise during a visit to the waka camp at Bledisloe Domain, near Paihia, which draws hundreds of kaihoe (paddlers) from around the country each year in the lead-up to Waitangi Day.
The Prime Minister's visit to ''Tent City'' has become an annual tradition since 2018 when she first called in.
Two days earlier she had announced New Zealand history will be taught in schools from next year.
Paddlers at the annual waka camp at Bledisloe Domain pose for a photo with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Speaking to the paddlers on Thursday, she said waka would be part of that — and all schoolchildren would learn New Zealand's first people arrived by design, not by accident.
She asked for their feedback as the government started consulting on the proposed curriculum.
Ardern also made a personal pledge to keep learning about waka, referring to her first foray onto the water during last year's Waitangi festivities.
''You've seen my lack of skills — I tried my best not to embarrass my colleagues — so I'll need a little more practice before I do it in front of cameras. But if you keep teaching me, I'll keep learning.''
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with waka captains Joe Conrad and Ethan Smith at "tent city", the annual waka camp at Bledisloe Domain in Haruru. Photo / Peter de Graaf
In response Joe Conrad, captain of Ngātokimatawhaorua, offered a history lesson about how the Queen conferred official naval ship status on the great waka in 1974.
He also appealed for government help to rebuild Te Korowai, the Treaty Grounds waka shelter.
The shelter, built in the 1970s, was no longer up to the job of protecting the waka and was in danger of collapse.
Ngātokimatawhaorua captain Joe Conrad says the waka shelter at Waitangi Treaty Grounds needs to be rebuilt. Photo / supplied
Earlier in the afternoon Ardern visited the Māori Wardens' camp at Bay of Islands Holiday Park near Paihia.
It was the first time during this year's Waitangi commemorations she was joined by daughter Neve.
The two-year-old rushed to greet her mum for a cuddle, then stole the show as she sang along with the waiata and was fussed over by the wardens.
It was also the place Ardern chose to drop a hint of other personal news.
"I promise to report on a wedding soon," she told the wardens.
Neve Ardern Gayford, 2, steals the show during a visit to the Māori Wardens camp at Bay of Islands Holiday Park. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The oldest Māori Warden in Tai Tokerau, Henare Hape, was among those at the campground. It was his fourth time meeting the Prime Minister.
The 82-year-old from Whangārei became a warden in 1970, more than 50 years ago.
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson told the wardens they were lucky to have a Prime Minister who came to hui like theirs.
''We've never had prime ministers who'd come to Waitangi for five days. They'd just drop in,'' he said.
Kaihoe (paddlers) perform a mass haka for the opening of a waka photo exhibition at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Also on Thursday Ardern attended the opening of an exhibition by Hamilton photographer Te Rawhitiroa Bosch (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) in Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi.
Up to 300 kaihoe performed a mass haka outside the Treaty Grounds entrance as she was escorted inside.
Bosch's photos focus on the story of Eru Patuone Heperi, the only surviving crew member of Ngātokimatawhaorua's maiden voyage in 1940.
Heperi was 12 years old when he was invited on board as a bailer.
In 2020, aged 92, he travelled from the Gold Coast to fulfil a dream of once more paddling the great waka during Waitangi Day festivities.
Photographer Te Rawhitiroa Bosch, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister MP Kiritapu at the opening of Bosch' exhibition He Kaupapa Waka. Photo / P de Graaf
Bosch said it felt "epic" to see so many people at the opening.
"And it feels right, because we're at the home of waka. This is an exhibition for whānau waka (the waka family), not for Te Rawhitiroa Bosch."
Bosch's own waka connections include sailing the Pacific on the waka hourua (double-hulled canoe) Te Matau a Māui.
Young kaihoe (paddler) Mia Maradasz-Smith of Napier has a photo taken with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Peter de Graaf
