Te Arawa River Iwi Trust recorded its first tira hoe of the Waikato River completed in January 2021.
Many people drive, walk or cycle over the Waikato River but a new initiative aims to give us another angle on New Zealand’s longest awa.
Te Arawa River Iwi Trust completed a four-day tira hoe hikoi, or paddling journey, of the river from its source near Ruapehu to its mouth at Port Waikato in January. The trust hoped it could become an annual project to educate the public about the history of the 425km river, about the iwi who live next to it and the challenges to improve the health of the awa.
• Be prepared
• Be aware of the dangers
• Know your
limits
“Things can change quickly when you are out
on the water or fishing, diving or swimming. It’s really
important everyone is aware of the risks and aware of their
own limits,” says spokesperson Sheridan Bruce.
So
far in 2021 there have been ten preventable drowning
fatalities in 2021 compared to 11 at the same time last
year.
Over the Waitangi long weekend in 2017 five
people lost their lives in preventable drowning incidents.
“That was a weekend of tragedy leaving five families and
communities devastated. We urge everyone to take a moment to