The Matariki Interactive Waka Project is a multi-disciplinary project that aims to create an interactive waka sculpture that will sit beside the Waikato River at Hamilton's Ferrybank Park and draw the people of the city back to the river. The sculpture itself will be 6-metres tall and constructed from corten plate steel. The interactive components are in two parts: motion sensors on the waka, and
an environmental sensor mesh network that will inform 7 light panels on the waka to visually display each Matariki star domain - animals, the weather, etc. The design is provided by local artist Joe Citizen but the build itself will be done by Trades and Engineering students from the Waikato Institute of Technology, with mentoring by an industry partner and in partnership with Wintec's Maori Achievement Unit who are advising on tikanga, matauranga and whenua consultation. Students from Media Arts and Early Childhood Education are also contributing to the project as well as independent researchers.
