First Look at Whakatane

Whakatane is said to be the site of the first landing of Polynesians to this island. On the east coast of the North Island, it is situated in the Bay of Plenty. On our first night, we were treated to a tour of Whakatane and a dinner picnic on a ridge high above and overlooking the coastline. In the narrow straits a statue of a woman stands atop a large rock symbolizing a legend of an incident occurring after the arrival of the Mataatua, a Polynesian voyaging canoe about 700 years ago. The name "Whakatane" is reputed to commemorate this incident. The men had gone ashore and the canoe began to drift. Wairaka, a chieftainess, said “Kia Whakatāne au i ahau” (“I will act like a man”), and commenced to paddle (which women were not allowed to do), and with the help of the other women saved the canoe.