A fleet of waka hourua have opened the NZ Festival on Wellington's waterfront tonight, telling the story of the explorer Kupe.
A fleet of waka hourua opened the NZ Festival on Wellington's waterfront. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
The performance was inspired by the arrival of navigator and explorer Kupe to Aotearoa, and will feature more than 1000 kapa haka performers and a 250-strong choir.
The performers welcomed the four waka hourua that travelled from as far as Samoa to be part of the opening of the New Zealand Festival.
Twenty-thousand people gathered to watch the spectacle on a fine night in the capital.
Photo: RNZ / Ceinwen Curtis
Photo: RNZ / Ceinwen Curtis
Photo: Ceinwen Curtis
Thousands have gathered here on the water front to see the incredible waka hourua. What a night for it pic.twitter.com/i1y9c0FWSp
— TeAniwa Hurihanganui (@teaniwahuri) February 23, 2018
Those dots are people! So amazing to see a turn out like this for the Kupe Festival the fleet of waka arriving soon. pic.twitter.com/L7hTqQt4ET
— TeAniwa Hurihanganui (@teaniwahuri) February 23, 2018
Wellington waterfront chokka to welcome the waka pic.twitter.com/vxpx2zCIgl
— Sally Round (@RoundSally) February 23, 2018
