Girls’ School students sail through Māori history
In Term 3, our Middle School girls took their Te Ata Hou studies to the sea, embarking on a rare learning experience at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. There, they had the opportunity to sail aboard a waka hourua, the traditional double-hulled canoe once used by Māori navigators to reach Aotearoa. The experience offered a tangible connection to the voyaging stories they had been exploring in class.
The trip, funded through a scholarship with Te Toki Voyaging Trust and supported by Live Ocean Foundation, began with a mihi whakatau where students were formally welcomed through whaikōrero, waiata, and hongi. After sharing food together, the group rotated through three immersive sessions.
Students explored the museum’s collection of waka and boat models, tracing how Māori and Pacific peoples traversed vast distances guided by stars, ocean currents, and bird migration. “It was really cool to see how small and detailed the models were,” said Alice Harri (Year 6). “Some even had strings connecting parts that looked like eyes.”
In another session, the girls learned about waka design and navigation, linking ancient techniques to modern maritime technology. “I liked watching the videos about how the waka was made,” shared Zoe Han (Year 6). “When we finally got on board, I recognised things from the videos; it made it feel familiar.”
The highlight of the day was sailing aboard the waka hourua itself. Although the weather limited how far they could travel, the girls were able to explore the vessel, observe the crew at work, and ask questions about life at sea. “It was amazing to see how fast the waka moved,” Zoe reflected. Alice added, “One of them even travelled all the way to England!”
Middle School Dean, Gina Hemmingsen, said the trip was an extraordinary chance for students to “bring their learning to life in the most authentic way possible.”
Through Te Ata Hou, students deepened their understanding of Māori navigation, migration, and adaptation. As their waka traced the Waitematā, their learning followed the same current of Aotearoa’s continuous story, carried forward through them on tides of discovery.
