People's Choice Award: Kris Kjeldsen

The late Kris Kjeldsen will be remembered for his craftsmanship and dedication to establishing, and growing, waka ama in Northland and New Zealand.

Kjeldsen was one of the founders of the sport in the country, and from his base on the Tutukaka Coast he crafted thousands of waka, now used on lakes and coasts around New Zealand and the world.

Before moving to New Zealand, he paddled for Kai Nulu Canoe Club in southern California and was involved in the sport in Hawaii, before settling in the small Maori community of Pawarenga in the Far North, where he lived for 15 years.

While at Pawarenga Kjeldsen wondered why there was no traditional Maori canoe racing. So he met with master waka builder Matahi Whakataka during the 1980s, and told him of his plans to start waka ama paddling and building waka in the north. Whakataka agreed with the plan, and said he wanted to do the same thing in the Gisborne/East Cape area.

With the high unemployment in both areas, especially among Maori, the pair took advantage of training schemes funded by the Government to start these projects. The people of Pawarenga got behind the project wholeheartedly. By early 1987 they had a work-training scheme; building canoes and paddles and learning the art of paddling. Ocean knowledge, surf skills and swimming were very much a part of the programme.

The training scheme in Pawarenga eventually evolved into Nga Hoe Horo O Pawarenga (the fast paddles of Pawarenga) while Whakataka's group in Gisborne became Mare Kura Canoe Club.

Kjeldsen had met Pili Muaulu who lived at Ngunguru during this time, and as a result, the waka building trainees and Muaulu's family built the first traditional Samoan canoe in New Zealand. Muaulu's extended family formed a club called Mitamitaga Ole Pasefica Va'a Alo (pride of the Pacific canoe club) of Ngunguru.

These three clubs along with one other in Okahu, Auckland, represented the original four clubs of New Zealand and were founding members of the national outrigger canoe association Tatou Hoe o Aotearoa (all the paddlers of Aotearoa) in 1987.

The association began planning to compete at world events and building racing waka. Since the early 90s, outrigger canoe sport in New Zealand has enjoyed phenomenal growth and competitors have experienced outstanding success. There are around 10 waka ama clubs in Northland, and much of this growth can be attributed to Kjeldsen and his commitment to a sport he was so passionate about.

To vote, email sports@northernadvocate.co.nz or text NAD and the initials of your nomination to 021 241 4568.

Voting closes on November 25.

The winner will be announced on Friday, December 2.