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The Waka will now be able to take part in the diamond jubilee celebrations. -
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Hopes of a waka taking part in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames River have been dashed.
London's most prominent Maori culture group was in negotiations with pageant organisers after being told they could not paddle their waka in the June 3 event to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne.
The Toi Maori group was discussing whether it was safe enough for a waka and full crew to be out on the Thames when a flotilla of more than 1000 vessels travel some 40 kilometres eastwards along the river.
But a spokesperson from the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation told ONE News that a ruling has been made that it is inappropriate for the waka to participate in the River Pageant.
"The limitations of the tidal river environment, the higher risk of capsize or foundering and, therefore, the scale of the safety resources that would be needed to rescue the considerable crew of this one vessel in the event of an emergency, make the Te Hono ki Aotearoa inappropriate for the River Pageant," a spokesperson for the jubilee foundation said in a statement.
"The Pageant organisers ultimately made the binding decisions on vessel selection, with advice from the Port of London Authority and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, among others," the spokesperson said.
Despite this a member of the Toi Maori group told ONE News the paddlers wore life preservers and took a member of the London Port Authority on the Thames, and he was more than happy with the waka's handling.
A decision took nearly two months and the organisers considered matters such as health and safety, fitness for purpose, experience as well as the design and history of the vessels.
The pageant spokesperson pointed out New Zealand will still be represented.
"We are very pleased that New Zealand will still be represented in the Pageant, by one of the 54 Commonwealth flag-carrying boats, as well as the Whaler boat, Swiftsure, and the Clinker vessel Shackleton, representing the New Zealand Uniformed Youth Organisations."
The Swiftsure, a replica whaling boat built by Blenheim's Ron Perano, will be crewed by six Marlborough Boys' College rowers, who have been practising on the Wairau River.
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