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Thursday 18 November 2004
Taiamai Tours Heritage journeys have just recently acquired a replica Waka Taua (War canoe) see the BOI chronicle paper tomorrow for article? The intention is to provide visitors to the Kororipo-Kerikeri Stone Store basin with an interactive, authentic first contact Ngapuhi experience similar to the same experience that Samuel Marsden (First European settler to NZ in
1814) might have experienced when he was paddled up the Kerikeri river on board a waka taua, accompanied by our Tupuna Ruatara and a group of fierce Ngapuhi warriors to meet with the celebrated chief Hongi Hika on the Kororipo Pa in 1815. The effects of this meeting between Hongi and Marsden would give effect to the birth of a New nation 25 years later in Waitangi. Recently we had a trial run with a full compliment of 12 tourist and 5 of our own warriors who were placed strategically on the Waka enabling the tourist to mimick their paddling actions. Yes they even paddled the canoe, one lady was 73 years old and she thought it was a great exercise and workout and was amazed at how effortless it was. The journey lasted approx 45 minutes, They saw mullet, a flounder in the shallows, spoon bill herons etc... imagine how they felt when they paddled below the Kororipo Pa - Hongi Hika's coastal stronghold and saw our children, women and men on the Pa, and the sound of chanting, calling, native shell trumpets, an eerie experience indeed. We are presently having the tour OSH complied and surveying the Waka and will let you all know when the tour will be available on a regular basis. We are also adding some extra services to our other products to enable a more effective service for you, our customers and will provide those details to you next week when we have those services in place. Thank you for your custom and continued support to Taiamai Tours Heritage Journeys and we wish you well for the present season.
Finally a very special thank you, to Wayne Young and Lorraine Hill for allowing Taiamai Tours heritage Journeys the use of Te Waka Tupi for the development of this new Tourism product in the Kororipo Pa - Kerikeri Stone Store basin.
Kia tau te rangimarie
Hone Mihaka: Taiamai Tours Heritage Journeys
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