Here is a little bit of history about Waka Ama (Out Rigging)

And you thought it was just a canoe with a thingee sticking out the side!!

The Va’a, Waka or Outrigger was considered by many in the Pacific as a living entity, providing a direct link to their entire existence. It was a means of harvesting food from the ocean, a way to travel near and far, and on occasion, a vehicle for warfare and recreation.

Felled and hollowed out, the living tree in some sense underwent a form of death and rebirth as it was transformed from a tree to a canoe through the hands of its creator, and it held with it, a great deal of spiritual significance.

Canoes of particular significance were blessed and named at an official ceremony before the canoe was launched.

As with each significant discovery of new lands, the Waka became and integral part of ancient life. Historically, many Waka (Va’a) variations existed in Aotearoa (New Zealand), they were also used for warfare, fishing, trading and voyaging. Maori oral history describes their homeland as Hawai’i. Astonishingly, though migration accounts vary between Tribes or Iwi, these Tribes can identify the name of the Waka or Whakapapa (family tree) which their forefathers travelled and it is this link which makes the participation in the sport of Waka Ama so significant.

Each canoe is a living entity, with its own spiritual power or mana. We entrust our lives to our canoes and we treat them with respect.

The following protocol is encouraged:

• Do not climb over the canoe, always walk around
• Do not sit on the canoe while it is on land
  
• Always enter and exit the canoe from the Ama side (left)
• When on land - the canoe must be positioned facing the ocean, being prepared for possible invasion and ease of launching.