wakahub | Atea

Waka Hub Project 2025-2030

The Vision

The Wharewaka and hub will be the leading cultural, community and visitor destination for maritime heritage and environmental science in Hawke's Bay.

Purpose of the Waka Hub

The Waka Hub aims to:

Transform Napier’s Inner Harbour Precinct by establishing a major attraction in a currently unused space of land.
Provide schools, whānau and the public access to artificial marine rock pools.
Educate visitors and the public on the cultural, historical and marine environment of Te Whanga nui o Orotu (The inner Harbour).
Provide a safe and secure berth for Te Matau a Māui double hulled waka and other visiting voyaging waka from Aotearoa and Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (the Pacific).
Preserve, promote, and share mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and expertise related to waka hourua (sailing waka), Pacific migrations, Pacific whakapapa (genealogy) and the marine environment.
Provide the city of Napier with an attractive Northern gateway that is recognised throughout Aotearoa and the world.

Key Outcomes

Establish an all inclusive educational space for waka training, celestial navigation, and marine environmental education of schools, community groups, visitors and the public.
Develop education programs for the marine environment, cultural storytelling, and interactive experiences to become financially sustainable.
Provide a facility alongside the Ātea a Rangi to host a unique experience for visitors and tourists.

Community Benefits

Provide a dedicated base for waka hourua and Pacifica communities to connect.
Create an educational facility promoting traditional knowledge and marine stewardship.
Establishing a shared space where anything relating to water and education can be hosted from.
Create a safe space for schools and whānau to be educated about the marine environment.
Provide access for our disabled community to visit the wharewaka and waka Te Matau a Māui.
Promote Māori and Pacific art, culture and traditional knowledge systems.

Additional Funding Requirements

Currently the 5.5 million (NZ) already secured via central government and the Napier City Council is enough to build the floating pontoon and the Wharewaka (Education Centre), this is approximately 80% of the overall project budget. Additional funds are needed to complete the project to become a world class educational centre which promotes kaupapa waka, culture and sustainability.

We are therefore seeking external funding to complete this project, to complete this voyage and vision.

Additional funds raised will contribute towards;

artist from the Pacific Islands assisting with internal designs within the whare (educational space).
the design and build of the three 10 meter high corten steel Pacific sail structures which will become the new landmark and gateway to the city of Ahuriri-Napier.
creating an artificial rock pool area for the public and education programs.
the addition of solar panels and batteries to the building, to compliment our stance on environmental sustainability.
completion of the landscaping, outdoor seating area, and a space for manuhiri (guests) to assemble.