Te Awanui

In 1970 Queen Elizabeth was to visit Tauranga and when the city fathers went looking for a waka to accompany the royal yacht Britannia to its berth, there wasn’t one, so the idea for a ceremonial waka for the city of Tauranga took shape.

Te Awanui, Tauranga, 10 February 1973
Photograph by John C. Bourne, Postcard published by Dow Productions, Ref. 150
Collection of Justine Neal

The ceremonial waka taua Te Awanui - the original name for Tauranga Harbour - was carved by Tuti Tukaokao in 1973 from a 300 year old, 124 metre-high kauri tree found at Waitawheta in the Kaimai Ranges. Before it was cut elders gathered together for a ceremony to pay homage to Tane Mahuta. Felling the tree took three-quarters of an hour using a chainsaw, with the lower limbs being retained for the carving of hoe (paddles).

The 46 foot-long waka took 22 months to complete, and used carving designs from all around New Zealand.

Te Awanui, Tauranga, 10 February 1973
Photograph by John C. Bourne, Published by Logan Print Ltd., Gisborne for Stars Travel, Tauranga
Collection of Justine Neal

Te Awanui was launched on February 10th, 1973 from the beach at Hawaii (Memorial Park). People lined the harbour banks three deep. A karakia was performed over the finished waka and as it floated for the first time, in went the 30 paddles and the chant especially composed for the occasion, Te Tau o Te Awanui, rang out over the waters of Tauranga Harbour.

Te Awanui and Te Urunga, The Strand, Tauranga
Photographer unknown, Postcard published by Dow Productions, No. 194
Collection of Justine Neal

When the Tauranga Moana iwi is not using the vessel for celebrations, it resides within Te Urunga, a purpose-built whare waka situated at the northern end of The Strand.

References

Tauranga Moana (Te Awanui), Pae Koroki

Te Awanui (Waka taua), National Library 

Te Awanui, Tauranga's Ceremonial Waka, by Debbie McCauley, 2013 (also reproduced in Historical Review: Bay of Plenty Journal of History, Vol 65, No 1, May 2017, pp. 1-6)