Tahitian canoe’s singular trip

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 22

Tahitian canoe’s singular trip

PA Auckland The Hawaiki Nui canoe, which arrived in Auckland recently, has sailed its maiden — and final — voyage.

The ocean-voyaging canoe, which Tahiti’s French Territorial Government sponsored and owns, would be dry-docked before being shipped back to Tahiti for display at its national museum.

But the navigator, Mr Francis Cowan, and Maori carver, Mr Matahi Whakataka Brightwell, who together spent 12 years building the 25m canoe and just three months sailing it, were not too upset. Mr Whakataka Brightwell hoped to build a bigger canoe for Maori youth, beginning this year, and Mr Cowan was “very happy” to see the canoe in the museum’s care.

“All we wanted to do was build an ancient Maori canoe and see how it made

the trip,” said Mr Cowan, who navigated to New Zealand by the sun, stars, moon and sea-swells.

“I’m perfectly satisfied they (ancient Maori migrants) made the trip on this canoe.”

Leaving Tahiti for New Zealand on October 28, the twin-hulled canoe, escorted by Tahitian outrigger canoes, landed at Okahu Bay at 4.10 p.m. on January 6 before hundreds of Aucklanders, and to traditional Maori and Tahitian welcomes.

Mr Whakataka Brightwell, who felled and carved the canoe’s two great totara hulls, was upset that previous New Zealand Governments did not finance the Hawaiki Nui and he hoped they would support his proposed canoe. The Hawaiki Nui has pandanas leaf sails, bamboo masts, 30 km of coconut fibre lashings and 400 handmade totara nails.