Ngati Kahungunu representatives have inspected progress on a new double-hulled waka for the Hawkes Bay iwi's in Auckland.
Runanga chair Ngahiwi Tomoana says the canoe's first major journey will be from Rarotonga to Hawaii next year in a fleet of Pacific waka.
Waatea News reports it will then be sailed back to Napier, where it will be used for tourism, sports and cultural events, and for the tribe's Hikoi Whenua lifestyle education programme.
Mr Tomoana says the double-hulled waka includes sail and hull designs by Ngati Kahungunu artist Sandy Adsett, with carvings done by Broughton Johnson of Nuhaka.
