It's a piece of public art that some say is ''signed, sealed and delivered''.
But whether a waka in Owaka was really wanted by the town's residents has been questioned by a concerned member of the community in council chambers.
Representative community group Owaka Going Forward has proposed installing a waka sculpture in the town to build on the town's identity as ''the place of canoes''.
It is also believed a sculpture could cause tourists to stop and spend money in the Catlins town.
Discussion of the proposed piece of public art has dominated final submissions, as spoken to in council chambers, on the Owaka Township Reserves Management plan.
The lone opposing voice speaking to council claimed he was not alone but a culture of ''bullying'' in Owaka meant residents would not put their name forward to oppose the proposed 6m by 11m waka for the town.
Resident Donald J. (Mack) McIntosh said he believed there were more in Owaka who wanted ''no waka'', or a wooden waka, than wanted Invercargill artist Russell Beck's design for a contemporary stainless steel sculpture.
He said a survey of residents was the only way for the council to find out: at this point, a survey where residents could tick a box in private was the only way for the council to meet the Local Government Compliance Act strategy whereby ''people have a say in the decisions that affect them''.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan questioned Mr McIntosh's assertion that there had not been proper consultation.
He said he had attended a public meeting on the issue that was attended by more than 100 people who generally held the view that the waka sculpture should go ahead.
The group promoting the planned $77,000 sculpture and conducting the fundraising for it, Owaka Going Forward, was joined by Catlins Coast Incorporated, Catlins Promotions, the Owaka Lions and several other individuals who spoke in favour of the proposed waka.
There had been confusion earlier in the process, the mayor said, that rates would be tied to the sculpture. He restated that this would not be the case.
In June, the building that houses the town's i-Site, library and museum was vandalised.
Graffiti calling the Clutha District Council and Owaka Going Forward ''liars'', speaking out against a presumed rates rise and clearly stating ''no waka'' have muddied the Owaka waka sculpture's waters.
The Owaka community took six years to fundraise the $1 million to build the building and some in town said the act of vandalism had shut down the debate.
The site for the proposed waka sculpture is on the green space in front of the museum.
Owaka Museum director Kaaren Mitcalfe said she believed ''how you get from A to B is as important as getting there''.
''The Maori whakatauki that comes to mind is: The canoe that rows together will reach the shore,'' she said.
Owaka Lions' John Burgess presented the council with a petition with 96 signatories in favour of the waka sculpture.
He said the signatures were easy to collect and were all from Owaka residents ''bar one''.
He had circulated the petition for only a couple of hours and was sure he could go out and get more.
- Hamish MacLean
