New Waka to elevate protection of taonga species

Supplied photo/Stephen Parker.

Te Arawa lakes have a new defender on the water from this week, with the official blessing and launching of a new 5.3 metre-long waka to support Te Arawa Lakes Trust biosecurity, monitoring and taonga protection mahi.

But Te Arawa Lakes Trust Biosecurity manager, William Anaru says the waka is 'not just a boat”.

Blessed with the name Kōura, coloured in kōkōwai red and covered in mangopare kōwhaiwhai, it will be the first in a series of Te Arawa Lakes Trust commercial waka to be named after a freshwater taonga.

'Kōura is to be more than just a boat, we want it to be a vessel that carries and reinforces an important key message and in this instance, referencing the protection of our taonga species.”

Kōura or freshwater crayfish are one of five freshwater taonga species protected under Te Arawa Lakes (Fisheries) Bylaw, which was introduced in 2020 to help protect and replenish taonga species across Lakes Rotoehu, Rotomā, Rotorua, Ōkataina, Rotoiti, Ōkareka, Rerewhakaaitu, Tarawera, Rotomahana, Tikitapu, Ngāhewa, Tutaeīnanga, Ngāpouri and Ōkaro.

'Operationally our waka will be used to carry out monitoring and biosecurity mahi, but we also hope our waka helps prompt and lead positive, thought provoking conversations around traditional kai, pūrākau and climate change solutions.

'The design of our waka is simple, but it carries traditional Te Arawa patterns, which we hope pushes our narrative that extra step futher to encourage connection and generational responsibility for the protection of these taonga.”

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