0:00

12. Waka taua - War canoe

View Map map

Imagine this 25-metre long waka or canoe gliding on the water, 100 men paddling furiously, the sounds of chanting mixing with the splash of paddles in the water.

This waka taua or war canoe would have taken warriors to war. It is very special because it’s so long and because it was carved from one log. It has a name Te Toki a Tāpiri, which means the axe of Tāpiri.

Walk to the front of the waka – do you see the fierce carved face right on the front? This is Tūmatauenga – the god of war. He is protecting the warriors as they go into battle.

One super interesting thing is how the waka was put together. Take a look under the carvings along the side. Can you see many nails? That’s right, there are only a few. Originally the waka was bound together with rope only.

Now let’s look at the weapons Māori warriors fought with. Walk around the side of the ramp to stop 13.

arrow_back Previous arrow_forward Next