Kia hiwa ra, kia hiwa ra!

Ko te aronga matua o Hoe Tonga, ko te oranga tangata. Haere, e whai i te waewae ā o tātou tīpuna, kia ora ai te tangata. Ko ngā kupu tohutohu i a mātou: mahia te mahi, hei painga mo te iwi.

Ko tā mātou, me pēhea te ngā whakamua i enei wā poraruraru, tutuki ai o rātou wawata. Ko te whakataunga e whai ake nei, he mahi e tautoko ana i ngā mahi hei arai atu te mate urutā. Ano nei, ko te aronga matua, kia ora ai te tangata.

Kia mau ki nga kupu a kui ma, a koro ma: rauhītia, manaakitia, honohonoa, tatou ki a tatou ano.

E te iwi, kia haumaru te noho.

Hoe Tonga is committed to hosting safe and enjoyable Regional Sprint Champs leading up to the Waka Ama Nationals and World Sprint Champs in 2022. However, the situation with the Delta outbreak in Aotearoa remains a concern. We have a duty of care for our region’s paddlers and whānau and would like to ensure that we protect everyone from the spread of COVID-19.

After considering all the information about COVID-19 and taking into account the traffic light system announced by the NZ Government, the Board of Hoe Tonga has made the decision to mandate double vaccinations of paddlers for all Hoe Tonga events going forward.

Under the new traffic light system, no event with more than 100 participants would be able to go ahead unless participants are fully vaccinated. In addition, while the World Sprint Champs in London are still scheduled to go ahead, they will require all paddlers to be fully vaccinated.

Therefore, we want to start gearing up our waka ama community to meet these criteria. For our future events, we will have a ‘no jab, no paddle’ policy, requiring all participants 12 years or older to be fully vaccinated to be eligible to participate. If those paddlers are not fully vaccinated, they will not be eligible to participate in Hoe Tonga events, or be able to qualify for the Waka Ama Nationals through the Hoe Tonga regional events. For our upcoming Regional Sprint Champs, if official vaccination certificates via the NZ Government are not yet in place,  we will be asking all paddlers 12 years or older (and also the volunteers that assist in the running of the events) to confirm they are fully vaccinated by way of our event liability forms. More information on this will be released in the coming weeks.

Importantly, if you have not had your vaccination yet, there is still time. With the minimum 3-week gap between the first and second shot, paddlers can be fully vaccinated in time for our Regionals.

Our decision was not made lightly as everyone has the right to make a personal choice and we would like to respect each individual decision. However, we have received enough guidance and direction to pursue our course of action. We want to minimise the risk of paddlers and whanau being exposed to or potentially spreading COVID-19. Vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the best ways to protect your whānau against COVID-19. High vaccination rates protect our whole community, including those who can’t be vaccinated for medical and age reasons. We all need to work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We have included below a list of common questions related to our stance on vaccinations.

In addition to the new vaccination requirement, our Board has also decided to adjust the dates for our two regional events. This is to give us more time to achieve the 90% vaccination rate across NZ, and increases the likelihood of our W6 event being able to go ahead:

• W1 races: now held on 27 November

• W6/W12 races: now held on 11/12 December

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still paddle in the region if I am not vaccinated?

You can still paddle for your own club and in your own time but not in Hoe Tonga sanctioned events as there is a risk of you being exposed and or potentially exposing others to COVID-19.

How does the entry system work for paddlers?

All entries will require paddlers to sign a form to confirm that they have been vaccinated. If you have not signed the form you will not be eligible to enter into any events organised by Hoe Tonga.

If you have not been vaccinated to date, is it still possible to enter the upcoming Regional Sprint Champs?

There is enough time to get double vaccinated in time for our upcoming Regionals.

Where can I get more information about the vaccine?

Go to FAQs: Doctors Stand Up For Vaccination.

Where can I get General Government information and updates?

Go to Unite against COVID-19.

Don’t forget to get your entries in for Race of the Series, held at Ngati Toa Domain, on Saturday 29 May.

For event information, please go to https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2021/03/23/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2021/

Hoe Tonga’s Board is pleased to announce our new Regional Development Officer:
Megan Qaranivalu.

Megan is based in Otaki, and is also an active member of Otaki Waka Hoe. She says: “Over the last six years I have fallen in love with waka ama and its lifestyle. I am enthusiastic, passionate and excited about the potential of Waka Ama in the region and the possibility of further growth.” 

She is looking forward to working with existing clubs, school co-ordinators and the different communities throughout the Hoe Tonga region to see how we as a collective can work together to achieve access to more programmes, development opportunities and the formations of new clubs in underserviced areas. 

Click on the photo below to view a selection of photos, courtesy of Terry Harkin, from our Regionals last weekend:

In addition, College Sport Wellington also had photographers on site, you can view and download those photos at https://collegesport.org.nz/envira/2021-waka-ama-sprint-champs/.

Go to our race notice for more information.

The Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Certificate in Waka Level 4 programme is delivered within the Hoe Tonga region in Masterton under the leadership of our very own Paddy Rimene.

Join in the “Waka, a way of life” and commence your journey today!

You will learn about:

• Māori nautical history
• traditional and contemporary waka
• waka construction
• weather interpretation
• Coastguard Boating Education Day Skipper qualification
• tikanga, karakia and waiata
• water survival competency
• event management
• health and nutrition
• And much more

All guided by the expertise of an Elite Waka Ama Paddler.

To secure your seat in the Waka for March 2021, contact Paddy today on 0800-355553 or email Patrick.rimene@twoa.ac.nz.

As part of the implementation of the Aukaha Project, a project designed to strengthen Waka Ama in Aotearoa, Waka Ama NZ, in collaboration with the Hoe Tonga Pacifica Waka Ama Association is seeking a talented and motivated individual to join the team as Regional Development Coordinator for the Hoe Tonga region. 

Based in the Hoe Tonga region, as Regional Development Coordinator, you will drive and facilitate the growth and development of Waka Ama in the region. You will also coordinate the planning and delivery of the Regional Qualifying Event and other targeted events alongside Hoe Tonga Board.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Drive the implementation of the Regional plan in collaboration with the Hoe Tonga Board.
• Build relationships with member clubs, identifying key points of contact and gathering insights on competencies, strengths, challenges, and areas for development.
• Facilitate the development and capabilities of volunteers.
• Establish and promote opportunities for volunteer recruitment and retention.
• Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among clubs and stakeholders.
• Develop and implement communication and marketing strategies to increase awareness and profile of Waka Ama in the region.
• Drive participation opportunities with stakeholders.
• Coordinate the planning and delivery of the Regional Qualifying Event and other key events, exploring event partnership and funding opportunities.
• Manage and develop existing and new stakeholder relationships that will enhance Waka Ama in the region.

As the successful candidate, you will have:

• Knowledge and experience in the sport and recreation sector, with an understanding of club and school sport.
• Experience in sport development and event management.
• Proven project management, stakeholder relationship, and strategy implementation experience.
• Strong communication and project management skills.
• Workshop facilitation and leadership skills.
• Empathy with and the ability to engage volunteers.
• The ability to create and unlock opportunities for Waka Ama to thrive in the region.
• Proven ability and experience using te reo, tikanga, and te ao Māori concepts.
• Clean New Zealand Driver’s license and reliable transport.
• The ability to work after hours and weekends as required.

Benefits:

• Work from home 
• Flexible working hours (20 hrs per week)
• Mobile phone + laptop
• Staff apparel
• Supportive organisation

About us:

Waka Ama NZ is the leading body of the Sport of Waka Ama in Aotearoa. We have a rich history and connection to tangata whenua and foster the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We have a small and tight knit team who are passionate about water, community, our sport and the people we work with. 

Our organisational values are:

• Manaakitanga: We encourage the practice of reciprocity through sharing of ourselves and our resources, nurturing all people and accepting our differences. 
• Whanaungatanga: Our sense of belonging, identification and collective strength, not only through kinship but being related to all within the Waka Ama community. 
• Hauora: We support and promote the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of all our participants. 
• Tū Tangata: We are accountable for our actions. We have respect for each other, our waka and our environment. We stand proud in our integrity and passion.

We pride ourselves on our supportive and collaborative team culture, and we are looking for someone who shares our values and is committed to the development of Waka Ama in this region.

For more information and a copy of the Job Description, please contact Aukaha Project Manager, Trevor Meiklejohn, at trevor@wakaama.co.nz

Applications close on Friday, November 8, 2024.