Marumaru Atua

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Marumaru Atua, Rarotonga 2010
History
Cook Islands
NameMarumaru Atua
OwnerCook Islands Voyaging Society
BuilderSalthouse Boatbuilders
Launched2009
Identification
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeVaka Moana
Displacement13 tonnes[1]
Length72 ft (22 m) overall[1]
Beam21 ft (6.4 m)[1]
Draft3 ft (0.91 m)[1]
PropulsionSail / PV electric
Sail plan
crabclaw sails
Complement18[1]

Marumaru Atua ("under the protection of God") is a reconstruction of a vaka moana, a double-hulled Polynesian voyaging canoe. It was built in 2009 by the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea.[2][3] In 2014, it was gifted to the Cook Islands Voyaging Society.[2] It is used to teach polynesian navigation.

The vaka is recognised as a cultural treasure and is commemorated on the Cook Islands $5 coin.[4]

Construction

The vaka hulls are constructed of

photovoltaic array powering a 4 kW electric motor.[1] It was constructed at Salthouse Boatbuilders in Auckland, New Zealand.[3] The starboard hull is named Pa Tuterangi Ariki and has a bowspirit carved with the sun, Te Ra, as a tribute to former Cook Islands Prime Minister and Polynesian navigator Tom Davis. The port hull is named Te Tika O Te Tuaine and has a bowspirit carved with the moon, Te Marama, as a tribute to Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid, who had sailed with the Cook Islands Voyaging Society on its earlier vaka, Te Au o Tonga.[3][5]

Voyages

  • In April 2010 Marumaru Atua was part of a fleet of four vaka which voyaged from New Zealand to the island of Raivavae in French Polynesia.[1] It then sailed to Raiatea - sometimes identified with the Polynesian homeland of hawaiki[6] - then on to Rarotonga, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.[1]
  • In 2011 it visited San Francisco as part of a fleet of six traditional canoes which voyaged across the Pacific to the USA.[7]
  • In 2011- 2012 it was part of the Te Mana o Te Moana (Spirit of the Ocean) fleet which visited 15 Pacific nations to spread knowledge of voyaging culture and advocate for ocean conservation.[2]
  • In September 2014 it journeyed to Sydney, Australia as part of a fleet to mark the World parks Congress in November.[8] It was later joined by canoes from Samoa and Fiji.[9] It then sailed to New Zealand, where after refurbishment in Auckland, it participated in Waitangi Day celebrations.[10]
  • It returned to the Cook Islands in May 2015 to join the Te Manava Vaka Festival, organised to mark the Cook Island's 50th anniversary of self-rule.[11]
  • In September 2017 the vaka was badly damaged by a fire and was shipped to New Zealand for repairs.[12] The entire starboard hull was replaced. The repair was funded by the Cook Islands government, a $135,000 donation from US NGO Nia Tero, and a crowdfunding campaign from the Cook Island Voyaging Society.[13] It returned to Rarotonga in June 2019.[14]
  • In October 2019 it was hired by the Ministry of Marine Resources for a trip to Manuae and Takutea to survey marine life.[15]
  • In December 2019 it voyaged to Aitutaki.[16]
  • In 2020 the vaka had planned to voyage to Hawaii.[17]
  • In August 2020 it voyaged to Mangaia for the first time for the inauguration of the Numangatini Ariki.[18]
  • In June 2021 it set out to visit all 15 of the Cook Islands.[19]

Images

  • Marumaru Atua in Avarua harbour, 2011
    Marumaru Atua in Avarua harbour, 2011
  • Voyaging canoes (left to right) - Marumaru Atua, Hine Moana, and Haunui - arriving in San Francisco in the Te Mana o Te Moana expedition (2011)
    Voyaging canoes (left to right) - Marumaru Atua, Hine Moana, and Haunui - arriving in San Francisco in the Te Mana o Te Moana expedition (2011)
  • Marumaru Atua in 2013
    Marumaru Atua in 2013
  • Marumaru Atua in August 2019
    Marumaru Atua in August 2019
  • Marumaru Atua's navigation carving
    Marumaru Atua's navigation carving

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Tavaru – The long voyage home". Ranui. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Marumaru Atua". Okeanos Foundation for the Sea. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Marumaru Atua". Cook Islands Voyaging Society. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Minister of Finance Launches new Five Dollar Coin". Ministry of Finance and Economic Management. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Te Tika dies suddenly, Influential woman leaders death shocks Polynesia". Cook Islands News. 17 June 2011. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  6. ISBN 9780520261143
    .
  7. ^ "Cook Islands plans national day celebrations in San Francisco". RNZ. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Climate canoe leaves Cook Islands for Sydney". RNZ. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Traditional canoes set sail from Fiji to Australia". RNZ. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Vaka Marumaru Atua joins Waitangi commemorations". Cook Islands News. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Pacific voyagers sail to join Cook Islands festival". RNZ. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Iconic Cook Islands vaka off to NZ for repairs after fire". RNZ. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Cook Islands vaka secures nearly $NZ500,000 in funding". RNZ. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Cook Islands canoe welcomed home". RNZ. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Mama Maru's voyage to look into the eye of the sea". Cook Islands News. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  16. ^ Melina Etches (5 December 2019). "Godspeed as Marumaru Atua voyages to Aitutaki". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  17. ^ Losirene Lacanivalu (17 February 2020). "Bid to sail vaka in international waters". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  18. ^ Melina Etches (28 August 2020). "Pod of whales welcomes vaka to Mangaia". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Traditional sailing methods inspire Cook Islands vaka crew to make epic voyage". RNZ. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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