In preparation for the upcoming cyclone season, which runs from November to April, Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation’s Vaka Paikea was lifted out of Avatiu Port and onto dry dock at the Punanga Nui Market seaside grounds yesterday.

A year has already passed since the vaka, originally named Okeanos Waaqab, arrived in Rarotonga and underwent a facelift and a name change. Over the weekend, Paikea was temporarily parked alongside Vaka Marumaru Atua at Avarua Harbour in anticipation of yesterday’s dry dock.

While Paikea will be on land until May next year, the crew will complete the annual maintenance programme, which includes a facelift for the vaka and its deckhouse. Carving the star compass on the deck is also on the to-do-list, in preparation for navigation training in 2024.

Due to unfavourable weather conditions, Te Puna Marama had to cancel their fifth and final Teretereanga Vaka programme, which was scheduled to be delivered in Mangaia early this month.

However, the foundation is pleased to announce that they will be facilitating the “Iriiri Kapua no runga i te Tuku Kaveinga Māori a te Ui Tupuna” workshop in Sydney, Australia, next month, in partnership with the Cook Islands Community Council, NSW.

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss and document Cook Islands Māori names for stars and navigational tools, as well as names for the star compass, and ceremonies and traditions related to the investiture of a navigator.

Te Puna Marama Foundation is grateful to the Pawanka Fund for their ongoing support in ensuring that Māori language and traditions are safeguarded for future generations.

The foundation would like to thank the crew for their dedication and hard work, family and friends, and those who have supported Paikea financially, in-kind, and through sponsorship.

“Meitaki maata to: Pawanka Fund, UNESCO, SIF-Social Impact Fund, Australian High Commission Cook Islands, Moana Sands Group, Trustees & Fiduciaries Cook Islands, Okeanos - Foundation for the Sea, and the team at General Transport (CIGT) for the safe lift-out of the vaka.”