Waka Ama!!

Here is a report that I wrote recently. In class my learning has focused on using a mix of compound, complex and compound-complex sentences. I also had the challenge to make most of my sentence starters different. I'm still trying to figure out how to use compund-complex sentences, but I will get it soon.(Hopefully) One thing that was quite easy for me was using additional information. Enjoy:)

 Waka Ama Nationals

By Trinity Rakena

In 1985, Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell, who is a master carver, had the amazing idea of creating the sport Waka Ama after he was inspired by watching Ta'a racing in Tahiti.  Waka ama is a sport where you have to work with your team or by yourself to paddle from either one end to the other or one end and back again. This sport involves a lot of skills and you may need quite a lot of strength to get you past that finish line especially on a windy day.  You compete for nationals at Lake Karapiro, which is in the Waikato region, and are usually held from around the 10th- the 20th of January. There are other competitions held in places like Hawaii and Tahiti. 

When Nga Kaihoe o Aotearoa (Waka ama NZ)was founded in 1987 and awarded hosting rights for the 1990 world sprint championships, there were no outrigger canoes, But a lot of very eager and helpful people stepped in to make waka out of large trees. The initial growth of the sport was founded on passionate individuals who developed strong clubs around the country. Thankfully Waka Ama NZ helped build on this passion and encouraged clubs to link with schools and local communities to drive awareness and participation of the sport. Fast forward to 2019 the 30th annual Waka Ama Sprint Championships on Lake Karāpiro attracted a record number of paddlers. More than 1,700 teams from 61 clubs raced for national sprint titles, with crowds of up to 10,000 cheering them on. Ranging in age from 5-81 years old, the competitors enjoyed six days of racing, all broadcast on Māori TV, and equally importantly, six days of Hauora (wellbeing) and involvement in the Māori culture. 

Many teams were involved in the waka ama sprint nationals, but sadly due to strong winds, a few teams were unable to start. Here are a few of the teams that participated in the 2020 Waka ama sprint nationals  Miti Makos, Ocean blue magic, Motu Pipis, Moana Potiki, Moana Warriors, Whakaoriori, Miti-Tai Kotuku, Mitimitanga, and Ngati Rehia. Paddler from Moana Warriors quotes  “doing waka ama is the best decision I’ve made, it has changed my life and I’m sure that I’ve made lifelong friends.” Other paddlers continued to say “ Although it’s challenging and takes a lot of time, dedication and patience, it is still very enjoyable. And even though some days we feel like giving up, we always try our hardest and leave it all out on the water.”

Ngati Rehia representative Luka Harden quotes: “ The best part about waka ama is all the opportunities you get given, at the start of the year I was given the opportunity to go to Tahiti to watch the seniors' world championships, but sadly due to COVID it was canceled. Something really challenging for me is being the steerer for my group. I am quite small and it is hard to control the waka when it’s windy. Two really important skills to have are patience and dedication. You need to have patience because you often have to practice paddling the same distance over and over again. Dedication is key to becoming the best waka ama paddler in the world. You need to be dedicated to your team and be on time for your training. I love waka ama and I will forever, and that’s a fact."

Tai-Kotuku paddler Temepara Apiata continued to say: “My favorite part about waka ama is being able to spend time with people I know and love and of course paddling as hard as I possibly can when I'm on the water. One really challenging thing for me is not getting frustrated when we don’t win or when we have to practice over and over again. I believe that the most important part of waka ama is being able to work with your team. Not only do you have to paddle hard and strong but you have to help your team out. It’s not hard to be encouraging, helpful, and kind to your teammates. You also have to listen to whoever is calling so you know when to change sides, if you miss 1 stroke then you add a whole 5 seconds to your time. So our coach says.” Temepara’s Mum Jacqueline Apiata is the coach of the Tai-Kotuku waka ama team she also participates in waka ama. She said, “ I love waka ama. It really brings out the good in me and I'm always happy when I'm out paddling.  When I watch these young kids paddle it fills my heart with Aroha and there is no better feeling.”

So, Waka ama is definitely something special and is great for keeping up with exercise and staying healthy. It is such a beautiful sport and really revolves around the Maori culture, it clearly means a lot to so many people and is what keeps them going. Waka ama is an awesome sport, keeps you active and gives you more opportunities than you could even think of. Waka ama NZ encourages everyone to give it a go and maybe find your newest passion.

No Reira tena koutou, tena koutou, tena ra tatou katoa.