PROJECTS /
Rere Tahi Fly Together
Project Summary
Empowering Northland youth through sailing
Eight-day voyage sailing on two distinctive vessels
Bringing together science and mātauranga Māori
Photo Credit / Bhakti Patel
GENERATIONS OF OCEAN PEOPLE
Aotearoa New Zealand’s story is intrinsically linked to the moana and the many wayfinders who voyaged across the ocean, first by waka then by ship.
Knowledge and appreciation of our history is critical in rebuilding our connection with the ocean. By learning about those who crossed the ocean before us we can restore and protect it for future generations.
In November 2023, 24 rangatahi (youth) from Te Tai Tokerau were given the unique opportunity to connect with this heritage, through an eight-day voyage sailing on two distinctive vessels: a tall ship and a waka hourua. The Rere Tahi journey was a convergence of ethos, values, and missions, centered on empowering Northland youth to lead fulfilling lives.
Through the collaborative partnership between Te Toki Voyaging Trust (TTVT) and The R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, two powerful kaupapa (projects) came together to create an unforgettable experience for these young participants.
“This on-water experience had the potential to be life-changing for the rangatahi on board, connecting them to the mana of Aotearoa’s founding stories, the ocean, and the marine life we urgently need to protect,”
Sally Paterson
Chief Executive – Live Ocean
Bringing together Science and Mātauranga Māori
While on board the waka hourua, the rangatahi engaged in holistic learning experiences. Alongside marine scientists from the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre – University of Otago, the TTVT crew blended mātauranga Māori with scientific knowledge to create engaging learning opportunities through activities like Marine Metre2, plankton net collections, bird and mammal strip transects, and baited underwater videos.
The Te Toki Voyaging crew also gained valuable skills to integrate this scientific knowledge into their future voyages, ensuring the benefits of this collaboration continue.
SHARED ETHOS SHARED MISSION
“After our successful cooperation during the Tuia 250 celebrations, we were thrilled to collaborate again with R. Tucker Thompson, her crew, and all the sponsors who made this possible,” said Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, Founder of Te Toki Voyaging Trust.
Jo Lynch, Chief Executive of the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, added, “Rere Tahi – which means Fly Together – aimed to bring together two unique voyaging cultures for the benefit of Northland youth. Both Trusts were dedicated to youth development, and this voyage represented a powerful opportunity for our rangatahi to experience traditional voyaging methods and learn more about New Zealand’s rich history.”
PROJECT PARTNERS
Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr
Master Navigator, Te Toki Voyaging Trust
Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr (Tainui) is the captain of the oceangoing waka Haunui. He is the son of Wharetoroa and Ngarungatapu Kerr, is married to Kim and has five children: Namaka, Turanga, Rangiiria, Noenoe and Hinemanu. Hoturoa has been sailing around the Pacific for more than thirty-five years. He paddles waka, sails waka, teaches waka.
Hoturoa is a native Māori speaker and spent the first six years of his life with the Tuhoe people in Rūātoki. After moving to Auckland with his mother aged six, Hoturoa went on to be a lecturer at Waikato University for over nineteen years, and his Master’s thesis investigated how the waka is a symbol of mana in the twenty-first century. More recently he has specialised in education and leadership programmes that use the waka as a platform for learning and development.
Hoturoa is an orator on his marae at Kāwhia, the home of Haunui, and the ancient landing and settlement place of his ancestral waka, Tainui and his ancestor Hoturoa.
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