Navigators from Te Kura Waka have passed Rangitāhuahua (Kermadec Islands), the first stop on their voyage to Samoa, after a week at sea.

Nine crew members set sail from Tāmaki Makaurau last week aboard their waka hourua, Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, as part of Te Hekenga ki Tua - a test navigation voyage a decade in the making. The journey relies solely on celestial navigation methods to guide the crew across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.

Lead navigator Toiora Hawira, who led the journey from Aotearoa to Rangitāhuahua, says the crew are in high spirits.

“Tino tau tātau ngā kaumoana o Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, harikoa ngā āhuatanga o runga.”

“Māmā noa iho te ara ki Rangitāhuahua, i runga i te whakaaro āhua pērā – kei te pana ngā hau i a tātau, ko ngā moutere kē pea e kukume ana i a tātau.”

Hawira guided the crew by reading the signs of the natural world - using stars, swells, clouds, birds and other environmental cues.

Atu i Aotearoa ki Hāmoa

At the helm of this voyage is Kiharoa Nuku, the waka’s kaihautū, a highly experienced voyager with decades of sailing under his belt. While the navigation is led using traditional methods, he is the only one onboard permitted to use modern technology - including GPS and Starlink - to monitor the journey and ensure the crew stays on course.

“Ehara te waka i te waka noa iho – he kura huna, he whakapapa, he moemoeā," Nuku says.

Because this is a test journey, Nuku’s role is critical in balancing tradition with safety and support. While he monitors their progress, he does not interfere with the navigators’ path unless absolutely necessary.

“Nui ngā wā, tō tātau kapene, i āhua [māharahara] ia, engari kāre ia i kī mai i ēra āhuatanga tae atu ki tēnei ata i te wā i kite mātau i te motu,” Hawira says.

“Engari kāre ia i whakatika i tō mātau ara i runga i te haere.”

Hawira explains that it’s around 500 nautical miles from Aotearoa to Rangitāhuahua (Raoul Island), then 700 nautical miles to Niue and a further 300–400 nautical miles to Samoa. Niue and Rangitāhuahua are not intended as stops but waypoints to help keep the waka on course - Samoa will be the only landing on this voyage.

“Ka tau tātau ki ngā wai, ka pōwhiri atu, ā, ka mihi atu, ka mahi i ngā karakia, ka tuku atu i ngā kōrero. Kātahi ka neke. Ka haere tonu te whakatere ki Hāmoa.”

Also onboard is Joyce Munns Conrad, who serves as Quartermaster, responsible for preparing and managing kai for the journey. She and her team spent weeks beforehand preserving and packing food, ensuring the crew would have enough to sustain them across the open ocean.

Hawira says they’ve enjoyed a wide variety of kai onboard thanks to their ringawera - even indulging in charcuterie boards while sailing.

“Inapō i kai mātau i tētahi ika i hopu mātau i te pāpakutanga o te tonga o ngā motu o Rangitāhuahua. Nō reira tino reka ngā kai, nui tonu ngā kai, ngā kai huawhenua hoki, huarākau kei konei.”

So far, the crew have avoided any major storms and believes they’re on track to reach Samoa within the next two weeks.

“Hautoru kē te tawhiti o tō tātau whakatere ki Hāmoa.”

Hawira extends a heartfelt mihi to everyone following and supporting Te Hekenga ki Tua. He and his partner Saki are both navigating this voyage, while their two tamariki remain in Japan.

“Otirā ki aku pēpē ki Hapani, ka nui te aroha.”

From here, Kawai Joe and James Tremlett will lead the navigators on the next leg of the journey towards Niue.