The vision of Ātea-a-Rangi, completed in 2017, is to ensure the art of Whakatere waka, traditional waka navigation, is passed on to future generations. This is done in the traditional learning environment of wānanga, a method of learning, to a select few who sail and crew waka throughout Te Moana nui a Kiwa, the Pacific Ocean.
Celestial stories of Māui can be found in the night sky with Te Matau-a-Māui being the Māori name of the Scorpius constellation which has the appearance of a hook and ‘The Milky Way’ being known to Māori as Te-Ika-a-Māui, the fish. During a certain period of the year, when you travel over the sea to Aotearoa from the North, these stars guide your way. As you get closer the Te Matau-a-Māui group of stars get closer to the horizon, where the sea meets the sky. When the bottom of the hook touches the horizon, it appears to touch the land, hooking and rasing the land from the sea – right on the frowning cliff of Whakapūnake.
These celestial stories also link to our terrestrial landscape, where you’ll find names reflected in both. The name ‘Ātea-a-Rangi’ refers to the domain of Ranginui, our sky-father, outside of earths atmosphere.
Ātea-a-Rangi
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Visiting info
Ātea-a-Rangi is easily accessible just south of Napier in the Waitangi Reserve at the mouth of the Tutaekuri and Ngaruroro rivers. Ātea-a-Rangi has become a focal point for many events across the Māori lunar calendar, such as the celebration of Matariki.
