Story: Canoe navigation

Carving the Hawaiki-nui

Carving the Hawaiki-nui

Mātahi Avauli Whakataka-Brightwell, his brothers Alan, Kim and Pryor, and other carvers are pictured here with the Hawaiki-nui in Porirua, 1981. The hulls were made from two tōtara trees from Whirinaki State Forest. These were hollowed out in Porirua and Pahīatua before being shipped to Tahiti, where the canoe was constructed. The Hawaiki-nui was successfully sailed from Tahiti to Rarotonga and then on to New Zealand in 1985.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1981/0778/35A-F
Photograph by Ross Giblin

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Rāwiri Taonui, 'Canoe navigation - Recent voyaging', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/2240/carving-the-hawaiki-nui (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Rāwiri Taonui, published 8 Feb 2005