26 Nov 2009

Big boost for Waitangi's Year of the Waka

5:00 pm on 26 November 2009

The Government will spend $300,000 on community events marking Waitangi Day next year,

More than a third of the money is tagged for commemorations at Waitangi itself, where large crowds are expected for a major waka event.

The chairman of the organising committee for Waitangi, former New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone, says his budget has had a welcome boost from $80,000 to $114,000.

2010 has been designated "The Year of the Waka" to mark the restoration of the big Waitangi war canoe Ngatoki-mata-whao-rua.

Mr Paraone says that up to 30 waka will be coming to Waitangi from all over New Zealand, and 300 paddlers will need to be fed and housed.