Ngatokimatawhaorua Launch (09-01-2010)
Ngatokimatawhaorua in Aurere
As we arrived more and more people started gathering and waiting for the powhiri to begin. There were the Ngati Kahu people from Peria and Whangaroa practising there kapahaka ready for the day after. After the powhiri the Ngaituteauru people from Otaua started rehearsing as well, til midnight, as they wanted everything perfect for the launch of their waka.
Everyone was up at 3am Saturday 9th of January and the people of the marae had put on a beautiful meal for breakfast before we went to Aurere, where the waka awaited us. It was a small trip to get there from Peria.
It was a special day for many people of the Ngapuhi tribe as Ngatokimatawhaorua had not been on water for about 70 years.
To see the Waka that i had grown up with for many years at my marae and seeing it looking so beautiful and seeing it being rowed was an experience I will cherish for a lifetime. It was well worth waking up at 3am in the morning..
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- Ngatokimatawhaorua in Aurere
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- Sits and awaits for launch
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- The new end
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- The Launch
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- Carried onto the waters of Aurere
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- First time on waters in 70years
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- Into the sunrise
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- Ngatokimatawhaorua
