in 1994. The national association is called Nga Kaihoe o Aotearoa.

Anne’s cousin Gael joined a waka crew – I must

ask her about it. After the enthusiasm for waka toa in the 1990

sesquicentenary celebrations things have died down.

I only saw one waka toa on tv at Waitangi this year,

compared with the great fleet eight years ago. But the waka

will come back on show – they’re always here anyway,

in the shapes of the land: the prow of the South Island

for instance is the Marlborough Sounds (see the fine carved detail?)

Waka 72 Hawaikinui’s 1985 journey

Kupe recommended journeying

to Aotearoa in October. The starpath

of Kopua (Venus) in late October

tracks almost directly from Rangiatea

to Aotearoa. It’s amazing to see it on a chart.

The star navigation chart for 31 October 1985 depicts

Kopua to the north of Northland, Marama the moon

tracking between Moorea and East Cape (near Gisborne),

and Matariki (Southern Cross) tracking

south of Tahiti and south of Southland (Nelson, p.19).

Hawaikinui used methods such as wind streamers

of aute leaves (paper mulberry) which when bleached

become flurescent. The way they move

indicates deviations from course,

and of course, they can be used at night.

When the celestial bodies are obscured

there are the streamers – bearing

back thousands of years.

Waka 73 Gone fishing

I took Temuera fishing out at Orakei

yesterday. We got him a fishing rod

for his birthday. We brought morning tea,

fortunately, so the time was well spent

munching sammies and drinking

our drinks. Occasionally we saw

fish swimming above and around

our hooks, but not a nibble.

Other guys on the pier had sprat lines

which, when they cast them, looked

like sparkling schools flying through the air.

They seemed to be catching a few.

Temuera and I also saw the waka crews.

A crew of women rowed beyond the yacht

moorings towards Rangitoto. A crew of men

stayed in the basin trailing a Coca Cola flag.

Glad to see the multinationals

are sponsoring them. I’m all for it.

A yacht pulled up and disturbed the fish

so we packed up. A film crew were shooting

a film or a commercial – perhaps we’ll be in it?

Waka 74 Sea anchor

In storms the waka would lower

a sea anchor halfway to help control

the vessel. In a way this poem

is a sea anchor. We are waiting

for a storm to pass, one preventing

control of the narrative.

There were other types

of punga (anchors).

A light anchor was used

to determine a current.

And of course there were anchors

to hold a vessel in place.

Waka 75 A storm

a storm so violent

waka and coracles slam into each other

tohunga and filiddh swap notes

sing each other’s airs

and before you know it the bloodlines

race in and out at crazy angles

Rangitoto surfaces lets out a breath

blood streams from pohutukawa

all at once

haka chanting fills the ocean

fish come up simultaneously raise their mouths