Carved  from Totara by the late Mr Hoani Herangi of Tainui.  This waka was presented to the armed merchant cruiser HMS MONOWAI in 1940 along with a piece of Pounumu (greenstone) and a Korowai (cloak) by Princess Te Puea.  These items were to protect MONOWAI from enemy encounter.  The items were transferred to the Navy when the ship decommissioned and they are now housed in the Navy Museum.