Te Waka eke noa

Te Waka eke noa – is a carved tōtara waka inspired by the whakataukī “He waka eke noa” — we are all in this together.

For Anthony Pecotic, this ancestral proverb extends beyond community alone; it speaks to the shared journey of all humanity aboard a single vessel: our planet.

The waka becomes a metaphor for Earth itself — carrying us collectively through space and time. Within this journey, every person holds a unique purpose, responsibility, and place. Human growth, self-discovery, and the pursuit of one’s true nature are not separate from the wellbeing of others, but deeply connected to it. As each individual comes to understand their own role, they also learn to respect the roles, differences, and contributions of those around them.

Crafted from tōtara, a timber traditionally associated with strength, endurance, and waka making, ‘He waka eke noa’ acknowledges both ancestral knowledge and contemporary responsibility. The work reflects the belief that humanity must learn to operate as a unified crew — caring for the waka that carries us all. Just as every position within a waka has significance, so too does every culture, perspective, and person contribute to the balance and survival of our shared world.

Crafted from tōtara, a timber traditionally associated with strength, endurance, and waka making, ‘He waka eke noa’ acknowledges both ancestral knowledge and contemporary responsibility. The work reflects the belief that humanity must learn to operate as a unified crew — caring for the waka that carries us all. Just as every position within a waka has significance, so too does every culture, perspective, and person contribute to the balance and survival of our shared world.

Through ‘He waka eke noa’ Anthony Pecotic invites viewers to consider unity not as sameness, but as the respectful coexistence of many distinct identities moving toward a collective future. Only through honouring each other’s spaces, responsibilities, and ways of being can humanity rise together toward a higher level of consciousness, connection, and stewardship of the planet.