Hobson’s Beach is home to a ceremonial war canoe named Ngātokimatawhaorua, the world’s largest of its type. Waka have always played a vital role in Māori culture, essential for travel, and uniquely constructed and carved as symbolic representations of each tribe’s identity and spirituality.
Ngātokimatawhaorua was built to mark the centenary of the Treaty of Waitangi’s signing in 1940 and was built by members of New Zealand’s northern and Waikato tribes. The waka is launched every year in February as part of Waitangi Day celebrations.Les mer