Emma joined the Waka Gezelschap of the Royal Student Rowing Scoeity Njord for their Waitangi Day commemoration.

In 2010, two Māori waka (canoes) were brought to Leiden. Their wharewaka (boat house) is on the grounds of the National Museum of Ethnography. The Waka Gezelschap are the permanent crew of the two waka, who protect their cultural integrity. The crew have been trained in hakas, waitas, and of course paddling. In pandemic-free years, they have attended the commemorations at Waitangi and joined in the paddling.

For more information (in Dutch), please click here.

The Waitangi Day commemoration, which took place online this year, was attended by the New Zealand Ambassador to the Netherlands, Lyndal Walker.

E iti noa ana nā te aroha.