wakahub | Atea

Waka Hub Project 2025-2027

Purpose of the Waka Hub

The Waka Hub aims to:

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.
Ensure community ties are strengthened within the Pacific.

Key Outcomes

Open up connections to other Pacific Islands, Pacific Artists and voyaging societies.
Establish an all inclusive educational space for waka training, celestial navigation, and marine environmental education of schools, community groups and visitors.
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.
Facilitate ongoing waka maintenance and preservation.

Community Benefits

Provide a dedicated base for waka hourua and Pacifica communities to connect.
Create a world class educational facility promoting traditional knowledge and marine stewardship.
Create a new northern gateway to Napier City the Ahuriri Inner Harbour that promotes our proud sailing history.
Promote Māori and Pacific art, culture and traditional knowledge systems.
Provide access for our disabled community to visit the wharewaka and waka Te Matau a Māui.

Additional Funding Requirements

Currently the 5.5 million (NZ) already secured via 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 education programs and marine monitoring.
the addition of solar panels and batteries to the building, to compliment our stance on environmental sustainability.
extending the maintenance working area so masts and booms can be maintained securely and under cover.
completion of the landscaping, outdoor seating area, and a space for manuhiri (guests) to assemble.