Barcelona, SPAIN — As New Zealand goes head to head with Great Britain in its defense of the America’s Cup, the Kiwis have a secret weapon, a Māori waka that will lead them into the contest.

The week- long race began on Oct. 12 and is due to end on Oct. 19.  Each race day, the waka will lead Team New Zealand out of Barcelona harbor as a “Māori guard of honor”, says Graham Tipene, coordinator of the waka that is crewed almost entirely by members of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei iwi (tribe).

There will also be a haka performed on the water and some of the crew will go in with the team to perform karakia (prayers and incantations) before they go out to race.  “What differentiates us from the other teams … is our deep connection to the ocean and the land and our guardianship of it,” Tipene says.