17 March 2025
Waikeria Prison staff partner with Waka Ama NZ
Waikeria Prison staff were well represented at the recent National Waka Ama Sprint Championships, one of Te Ao Māori’s biggest sporting events in Aotearoa. This is the fourth year Corrections has taken part, of the 33 years Waka Ama has taken place.
The Corrections tent, and kaimahi (staff) in attendance, highlighted the fact that our kaimahi are a part of the community and was also a way to promote the wide range of job opportunities at Corrections.
Not only did they enter three teams in the corporate races, held at Lake Karapiro, Waikato, this year Waka Ama organisers approached Recruitment Coordinator Regan Ruki to ask for a pool of volunteers to assist with running the event. Approximately 65 Waikeria Prison staff were involved either volunteering at the event or racing in the three teams, which included a team from NRCF; Waikeria Tuatahi, Waikeria Tuarua, and Nga Wha (NRCF Waka Natives).
This year, there were 700 more paddlers than the previous year, bringing together 78 clubs from as far away as USA, Australia, Great Britain, all coming together to celebrate a shared love of Waka Ama.
Regan was thrilled to be approached by Waka Ama NZ to partner at this event. “This is one of the biggest events in Te Ao Māori, so to be invited into this community space with over 10,000 people attending and to contribute in various ways has been awesome,” says Regan.
Working with Waka Ama NZ, Regan organised 12 Kaitūao (volunteers) to work on the pontoons (pictured in pink) each day, ensuring the safety of our whānau and guiding them to where they need to be. “These Kaitūao were a crucial part of making the event run smoothly,” says Regan.
“One of the highlights of the event was the wairua brought by the younger members of our community,” adds Regan. “Every day, tamariki have come to our tent to hang out, take up the wero (challenge) on the waka erg (rowing machine), sing waiata, and perform haka, all in the hopes of earning some cool merch for their whānau. It was heart-warming to see the next generation of paddlers engaging so enthusiastically, and it reminded us of the impact these events have in inspiring and nurturing young talent.”
Regan says everyone who took part is grateful for the connections made and the incredible community we’ve built together. We look forward to continuing this journey of unity, growth, and celebration in the years ahead.
Ngā mihi nui to everyone who made this event a success, and a special thank you to our whānau, volunteers, and corporate teams who contributed to making it all happen.
