This is a very old Canoe that was excavated off the banks of the Piako River by JW Headley in 1902 and given in to the care of the Morrinsville Historical Society in 1968 by Ngati Paoa.
The Waka is 17 Metres long and most likely constructed in the 1860's. It was built from a Totara Tree about 800 years old.
Originally it was an Ocean going and ceremonial waka. Later it was cut in half and used for transporting goods on the Waihou and Piako Rivers. It was also used to transport Flax to the Mills at Tahuna and Patetonga