Nicknames | Waka peke |
---|---|
Characteristics | |
Contact | No |
Team members | Two per waka |
Type | Boat sport |
Venue | River or lake |
Presence | |
Country or region | New Zealand |
Waka hurdling, also sometimes called waka peke (jumping waka), is a Māori sporting competition of jumping unornamented waka tīwai (river canoes) over wooden beams set in the water. [1] There have been attempts to revive the sport and keep the tradition going. [2] The Auckland Museum has a photograph of the sport and spectators. [3] The hurdles are made of long tree branches. [3] Albert Percy Godber photographed the sport in 1910. [4] The competition is part of the festivities of traditional Māori regattas. [5]