Public demos of va’a building

Sharing va’a building practises with the public at Pātaka Gallery in Porirua during Matariki the national holiday to celebrate the Māori New a year.

This va’a is an old Samoan stitch plank sailing canoe that hasn’t been seen in the water in many years.

I’m following the building notes recorded by Māori anthropologist. Te Rangihiroa Air Peter Buck from his time in Samoa during the 1920s. Te Rangihiroa was also the Director at the Bishop Museum in Hawaii.

Hoping to finish this canoe at the end of the year. Thank you to Pataka for the space to demonstrate and thanks to Creative for the support to reclaim this endangered va’a and art form.