A Waka Odyssey was a series of events over five days for the New Zealand Festival 2018 to honour the legacy of the famous Pacific explorer Kupe. Wellington Harbour was the centre stage for the event.

A mass assembly of waka hourua (twin-hulled ocean-going canoes) from around the Pacific and Aotearoa had descended on Wellington harbour at dusk on the 23rd of February for the opening night theatrical spectacle of an unprecedented work by creative team Anna Marbrook, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr and Kasia Pol.

 

Developed through a unique partnership between creative team, the New Zealand Festival and Te Āti Awa / Taranaki Whānui Iwi (regional Maori communities), over 70,000 people experienced this exceptional event watching it live and online streaming.

 

Designed to honour and celebrate our shared voyaging history, the choreographed movements of seven waka hourua, eight waka taua (single-hulled canoes), and a fleet of waka ama (out-rigger canoes) brought the harbour to life; while on land actors, choirs and kapa haka (Maori dancing and chanting) groups welcomed the voyagers to the capital. A 1000-strong new haka for Wellington was performed, and a full musical score was composed by New Zealand music icon Warren Maxwell and performed by 300 choir.

 

The creative team of Marbrook, Barclay-Kerr, and Pol, say their shared vision for A Waka Odyssey is to create a work that will have long term meaning for Aotearoa (New Zealand). ‘In the Pacific, our threshold is the mighty ocean. The pre-colonised Pacific viewpoint of the ocean is that of something that connects us all as humans. The waka hourua and their crew give voice to this. As they sail they weave together cultures and histories. And in a contemporary world the waka inspire us not to search for new land but to search for new ways forward as human beings.’

 

Project was commissioned and produced by New Zealand Festival Wellington, 

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Acknowledgements: Shelagh Magadza the artistic director of ZN Festival, 

Te Āti Awa / Taranaki Whānui Iwi Creative New Zealand, Ministry of Culture and Heritage , The Wellington Regional Amenities Fund is a partnership between Wellington City Council, Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council and Porirua City Council, Harbour master, Underwater Solutions.

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Director: Anna Marbrook

Production & Costume Design: Kasia Pol

Navigator & Waka Expert: Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr

Waka Hourua:

Haunui - Auckland, NZ

Ngahiraka - Tauranga,NZ

 Gaualofa - Apia, Samoa

Hinemoana - Tauranga, NZ

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Producer: Maria Dere

​Executive Producer: Meg Williams

Technical Director/ Production Manager: Nick Kyle

Stage Manager: Alison Kirkpatrick

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Photo: Jeff McEwan, Rawhitiroa Photography, Matt Grace, Karl Webber

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