Raukawa iwi have marked a significant step in restoring their ancestral connection to the Waikato River with the launch of a new purpose-built waka launching site at Waipapa.
The project, Te Rōnihi o Ngā Waka o Waipapa, is the first dedicated waka access point developed within the Raukawa takiwā since the damming of the Waikato River. It is designed to remove longstanding barriers to access and enable whānau to reconnect physically and spiritually with their tūpuna awa.
Developed by the Raukawa Charitable Trust, the site includes a reconstructed boat ramp for waka taua and waka ama, alongside plans for a tūāhu, a sacred space where cultural practices such as karakia, waiata, karanga and whaikōrero can be carried out.
Project lead Anaru Begbie said the initiative is about far more than infrastructure.
“This is about restoring our relationship with the awa. For generations, access has been limited. This site gives our people the ability to return, to practise our tikanga, and to pass on mātauranga to our tamariki and mokopuna.”
The project is underpinned by two key priorities: strengthening the relationship between Raukawa and the Waikato River, and revitalising mātauranga ā Raukawa. By improving access, iwi members are now able to reconnect with culturally significant landscapes along the river and re-engage in traditional practices.
The site will also host wānanga, enabling the sharing of pūrākau, kōrero tuku iho and environmental knowledge, ensuring these traditions are sustained for future generations.
In March, Raukawa held a wānanga on the awa titled Te Awa Kōrero, where participants learned about significant place names and the history of their ancestors and visited the Waipapa ramp site. Wānanga participant Richard Heke said the experience of paddling waka ama on the awa brought that learning to life.
“It’s the Waikato awa. There have been many names for it over time. For us, it was about learning where our people lived, what they inhabited, and how they lived,”
Richard said.
The project, funded by the Waikato River Authority, aligns with wider efforts to restore the health and wellbeing of the river while strengthening iwi-led approaches to environmental kaitiakitanga.
