Te Waka Maori extremely popular with visitors

Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples has congratulated Ngati Whatua, Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the Auckland Council and the Rugby World Cup organisation on the huge success of te Waka Maori.

“Te Waka Maori, the uniquely indigenous pavilion on Auckland’s waterfront and its associated artisan village, was visited almost 170,000 times in its first four days open to the public,” said Dr Sharples.

“Te Waka Maori was planned to host a short, intense burst of activity, to achieve maximum impact as the biggest crowds concentrate in Auckland for the finals of the Rugby World Cup,” said Dr Sharples.

“The counts so far, of 21,700 visits on the Friday it opened, rising to 76,000 the following Sunday, are way beyond our highest projections,” he said.

“The business case forecast a total of 100,000 visits over the final ten days of the Rugby World Cup. Now it looks like that might easily reach over 250,000.

“For a completely different experience, around 60,000 people have visited the Giant Rugby Ball on Queens Wharf since it opened on September 10.

“Te Waka Maori’s programme of live music, kapa haka and a Maori Rugby exhibition has been packed, and people have really enjoyed meeting Maori rugby greats face to face. Ian Taylor’s 3-D Maori creation story is stunning! And the Artisan Village brings weaving, ta moko and contemporary art to life!

“Special events like business breakfast meetings have enabled locals and visitors to extend valuable networks of personal contacts.

“I’m sure te Waka Maori will stand out in peoples’ memories of the Rugby World Cup – which is a great tribute to the vision and determination of those who conceived the idea and saw it through to completion,” said Dr Sharples.