Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa kaimahi Eli Tapine and Kauri Tangohau are in Samoa connecting with the Hawkes Bay waka hourua, Te Matau a Maui currently undertaking a journey retracing and reconnecting its own whakapapa to te Moana nui a Kiwa.
Kauri Tangohau shares a reflection on the first few days of their haerenga.
Our journey in Samoa began on 10 September, as we arrived ahead of the Te Matau a Māui waka that departed Napier on 31 August 2026. The crew aboard Te Matau a Māui waka are on a voyage to reconnect their stories and whakapapa with the people of Samoa, and with the ancestral waka Takitimu, which was built here in Samoa.
Given the uncertainty of tides, swells, winds and other conditions across the Pacific, there was no fixed date for the waka’s arrival. Our early arrival allowed us to prepare for and support the kaupapa as Te Matau a Māui made its way to Samoa.
On 14 September, we were privileged to be invited to the National University of Samoa (NUS) School of Maritime Training & Marine Environment Research Centre, where a workshop module was being delivered to students from All Saints Anglican School.
Docked outside NUS was Gaualofa, the sister waka of Te Matau a Māui. The students were invited aboard to learn about the operation of the waka and gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills and traditions associated with ocean voyaging.
The visit provided an opportunity for the next generation to connect with the waka and the wider kaupapa of voyaging, navigation and our shared Pacific heritage.
On 16 September, Te Matau a Māui arrived at Poutasi, where the crew were warmly welcomed by whānau and the village.
Following immigration inspections, the crew were able to step onto land for the first time in almost three weeks. It was an emotional homecoming, with crew members reunited with their tamariki and whānau and welcomed with beautiful lei from the village.
Once everyone was ashore, we were invited into the fale fono to participate in a traditional ‘ava ceremony and formal welcome hosted by the high chiefs of Poutasi.
We were accompanied by Leota Fitimaula Donna Aiono Le Tagaloa Ioane, President of the Samoa Voyaging Society, who spoke on our behalf, alongside Piripi and Michelle Smith, leaders of Te Matau a Māui.
The whānau are being hosted by Papa Joe and Aunty Tammy at their beautiful home in Poutasi for five days, before departing for Savai‘i on 20 September.
Yesterday, Eli joined Te Matau a Māui and took part in the waka’s night watch alongside Kahu Ngata, Captain of Te Tairāwhiti Waka.
Eli will sail aboard Te Matau a Māui for the next stage of the voyage to Savai‘i and Fiji, before beginning the journey home to Aotearoa, travelling via Whangārei and onwards to Napier.
This voyage is more than a journey across the ocean. It is a journey of whakapapa, whanaungatanga and reconnection, strengthening the ancestral ties between Aotearoa and Samoa and honouring the voyaging traditions that connect our peoples across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.