Statue of Wairaka

Wairaka was the daughter of the great navigator Toroa, who guided the Mataatua waka to Whakatane more than 600 years ago. She broke with the tradition that only men were allowed to paddle waka, and her cry in doing so “Kia Whakatane au I ahau” (“I will be bold and act as a man”), gave Whakatane its name. She took up a paddle to guide the waka back to shore after it had drifted from its landing place. Today, Wairaka stands as a bronze statue on Turuturu Toka, marking the Whakatane Heads.