Omaha Coastal Waka Ama

Omaha Coastal Waka Ama (OCWA), a new community-led waka ama club currently in its founding stages. Our vision is to create an inclusive club that brings people together to enjoy our beautiful coastline safely while improving fitness, wellbeing and social connection.

Waka ama is much more than a sport. It is deeply rooted in Māori culture and values, embracing whanaungatanga (connection and belonging), manaakitanga (care and respect for others), kaitiakitanga (guardianship of our environment) and teamwork. We hope to honour these values by creating a welcoming club where everyone, regardless of age, fitness level or paddling experience, feels they belong.

Over the coming months, we will be building our fleet of waka, paddling equipment and safety gear so more locals can experience the physical and mental wellbeing that comes from being on the water. Our goal is to encourage healthy lifestyles, water safety, confidence and awareness of our surrounding waters and meaningful social connections while fostering respect for the local environment and the cultural heritage of our coastline.

As a founding club, we’re inviting local people to become part of something special from the very beginning. We hope OCWA will grow into a lasting community asset that celebrates both our unique coastal lifestyle and the rich traditions of waka ama for generations to come.