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SPORT Coconuts Outrigger Canoe Club power on in 2023 with a new canoe
RECENTLY, the Coconuts Outrigger Canoe Club received a grant of $27,989 from the Queensland Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund, which enabled the purchase of a new lightweight Malolo OC6 (six-man) canoe.
Club members wished to acknowledge and thank the Gambling Fund for its contribution.
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The new lightweight canoe is 44ft long and weighs only 65kg, less than half the weight of the club’s other sixman canoes.
Not only will this new canoe facilitate membership expansion, but it will enable members to remain competitive when racing locally and nationally.
The outrigger canoe culture is rich with ancient ceremonies and traditions, and many of the protocols and rituals of a long time ago are still respected and practised today.
One of those rituals is the blessing of a new craft. The club was honoured to have members of the Dyirribarra Bagirbarra people (one of the five clans of the Mamu cultural group) from the Goondoi Arts Aboriginal Corporation who performed a blessing of the new canoe.
Manni Edwards led the blessing, first telling the story of the Dyirribarra Bagirbarra people.
This was followed by a traditional dance performed by Mitchell Martin, Lebron Heron, Jordan Rudken, Ezekiel and Ziggi Edwards.
Paddler Nicola Mahana, who travelled from Townsville, then delivered the second part of the blessing in the Māori language.
The club named the canoe ‘Yuramu’, which means 'Head of the waters,' which is the Mamu name for the mouth of the Johnstone River, where the club paddles from.
Most outrigger canoes are given Polynesian or Hawaiian names, and this is the first time in Far North Queensland that a canoe has been given an Aboriginal name.
Club President Adrian Darveniza stated, “It is great to see different cultures coming together in unity in the name of sport. This is a very special day for our club.”
Members paddle from Coconuts Beach on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with new people always welcomed.
Please visit the Coconuts Outrigger Canoe Club Facebook page for further information.
