Hector Busby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Sir Hector Busby
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| Tā Heke-nuku-mai-nga-iwi Puhipi | |
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Busby in February 2019
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| Born | August 1, 1932 |
| Died | May 11, 2019 (aged 86) |
| Other names | Hec or Hek |
Sir Hector Busby (born August 1, 1932 – died May 11, 2019) was a very important Māori leader from New Zealand. He was also known as Heke-nuku-mai-nga-iwi Puhipi or Hec Busby. He was a master navigator and a builder of traditional Māori canoes called waka. He played a huge part in bringing back the old ways of ocean voyaging. These methods used special navigation skills without modern tools.
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Sir Hector Busby was a key figure in reviving traditional Polynesian navigation. This is an ancient way of sailing across oceans. Navigators used only the stars, sun, moon, and ocean swells to find their way. They did not use modern maps or compasses.
He built many waka, 26 in total! His most famous one was a double-hulled canoe named Te Aurere. This amazing waka sailed over 30,000 nautical miles across the Pacific. It visited places like Hawaii, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Norfolk Island.
Epic Ocean Journeys
In December 2012, Te Aurere and another waka built by Busby, named Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, made an incredible journey. They sailed 5,000 nautical miles to Rapa Nui. This trip took four months from New Zealand.
After reaching Rapa Nui, the two waka sailed all the way back to New Zealand. They landed at Aurere Beach in Doubtless Bay in May 2013. These long voyages showed the world how skilled ancient Polynesian navigators were.
His Recognised Achievements
Sir Hector Busby received many awards for his important work. These awards recognised his services to the Māori people and to navigation.
In 1990, he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. Later, in 1994, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. This was for his great contributions to the Māori community.
His work continued to be honoured. In 2014, he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Finally, in 2018, he was promoted to Knight Companion. This meant he was given the title "Sir" for his lifetime of service to Māori culture and navigation.
About His Life
Sir Hector Busby had both Pākehā (New Zealander of European descent) and Māori family roots. He belonged to the Māori tribes of Te Rarawa and Ngāti Kahu. He passed away on May 11, 2019. His legacy lives on through the waka he built and the ancient navigation skills he helped revive.
See also
- Hōkūleʻa
- Nainoa Thompson
