A festival celebrating the rich Maori heritage and culture of Tamaki Makaurau will see its debut run across the waterfront and in the thick of the Waitemata next Auckland Anniversary Weekend. The free, family-friendly Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival has been referred to as the missing link in the city's cultural festivals; it will join the ranks of well established events: Matariki, Diwali, Pasifika, and the Auckland Lantern Festival. Tipping its hat to the long history of trading on the shores of the Waitemata, also a prime gathering spot for waka, Tamaki Herenga will comprise thrilling inter-tribal waka races, performances by contemporary Maori artists, traditional and modern kapa haka, Maori crafts, and the chief drawcard of any cultural festival - food. In what may be one of the more entertaining parts of the three-day festival, the public will also have the opportunity to jump inside a waka and try paddling it themselves. Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival will take place from Saturday 30 January - Monday 1 February 2016 on Queens Wharf and in the Waitemata harbour. Photo credit: ATTED