Kāi Tahu Kā Rūnaka ki Murihiku representatives will join HMNZS Canterbury on its way to Campbell Island (Moutere Ihupuku) and Auckland Islands (Maungahuka) when the vessel calls at Bluff on Monday.
Te Rūnaka o Awarua whānau member Bob Bowen said making the 465km trip would be the chance of a lifetime.
It is the first time Kāi Tahu Kā Rūnaka ki Murihiku have been given such an opportunity.
“It’s incredible to imagine back to the days of our tīpuna when they travelled south to the subantarctic in waka through ferocious storms. It amazes me how they navigated without the modern luxuries we have today.
READ MORE:
* Wāhine exhibition amplifies Māori voices
* Invercargill City Council mana whenua representatives announced
* Virtual marae bringing te Ao Māori into the digital age
“This voyage is our chance to support the mahi to protect our taoka (taonga) species like tōroa (albatross), hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), toharā (southern right whale), and rāpoka (New Zealand sea lion), and to maintain our ahi kā – our continuous connection with these special islands as mana whenua and mana moana.”
Kai Tahu stories of their tīpuna who travelled to the islands are carved into Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff.
Te Moana Tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki, would also be visited with the purpose being to support conservation and science work on the islands while helping mana whenua strengthen their connection with the whenua (land) of their tīpuna (ancestors).
HMNZS Canterbury recently completed similar work on the Kermadec Islands 1000km north of New Zealand where a Navy Seasprite helicopter from RNZAF No. 6 Squadron was used to transport personnel and equipment between ship and shore.
The vessel left Devonport Naval Base on Tuesday for Bluff.
“This trip offers a timely opportunity to improve Crown-Iwi relationships through the Navy,” Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor said.
“The Defence Force and Royal New Zealand Navy draw heavily on te ao Māori. If we can support Kai Tāhu whānau to strengthen their relationship with Moutere Ihupuku and Maungahuka, it strengthens us.”
Department of Conservation operations manager for Murihiku John McCarroll said the operation enabled the agency to carry out important conservation work at some of New Zealand’s most remote sites.
“The focus of this trip is maintenance and repairs to key infrastructure which helps us undertake important conservation work. Sea lion, albatross and penguin monitoring will also take place.”
Also on board the Royal New Zealand Navy sealift vessel were members of the Sir Peter Blake Trust, an environmental leadership expedition with 11 students and five teachers taking part in research with scientists from the University of Otago, GNS Science and the Cawthron Institute.
“They will be peat sampling, plankton tows, marine intertidal sampling, and marine sediment and water column sampling,” Blake head of programmes Jacob Anderson said.
HMNZS Canterbury Commander Bronwyn Heslop said crew had worked hard to ready the ship for the journey south after returning to Auckland late last week while the time at sea had given the opportunity to build core skills.
“We've been undertaking training in aviation and boat drills. Every day people have learnt more about their life as a sailor, soldier and aviator,” she said.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has assisted in the Sub-Antarctic Islands since 1948 when minesweeper HMNZS Kiwi carried out a supply run to support the meteorological station.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
How did you like the post, leave a comment. I would appreciate hearing from you all. Best wishes from JC's Naval, Maritime and Military News