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National | Education

Testing a new waka ama prototype to attract Māori to science

Massey University is working with Curious Minds Waka Ama to develop a waka ama paddle that measures power and speed output as part of its initiative to inspire rangatahi to pursue science.

Eight secondary schools were recently offered the chance to test and transfer the data into computers to see how sports and science interact in testing a new waka ama prototype to find the best design.

They are developing waka ama paddles with a chip inside that can measure power and speed output. “So, with that, they have taken the paddles and developed a workshop to encourage young ones to look at science as an option at university,” Waka Ama coach Vesna Radonich says.

“What we are trying to do here is to increase awareness for Māori around science, and largely the vehicle that we’ve used is waka ama,” Dr Bevan Erueti from Massey University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition says. “The science we are trying to promote is based on sports science and exercise”.


Waka ama gets the sports science treatment.

Gisborne students take part

Massey University has invited eight schools to the Lawson Theatre in Gisborne with the aim of bringing science in their community to the forefront.

“The advantage of this is that we will now be able to judge whether we need to improve our paddles, strokes, and work for the world championships this year,” student Malia Proctor says.

This project is part of the Curious Minds initiative funded by the Ministry of Business.

“For us at Massey University, these kinds of activities become more about the waka, they become more about our engagement with iwi, our Māori tamariki and also an opportunity for us to share that knowledge on behalf of Massey University,” Erueti says.

Proctor says her future career prospect will include sports science, “I would like to go to university or police college in Porirua, really any study that involves sports programmes.”