E rere kau mai te awa nui mai te Kāhui Maunga ki Tangaroa, ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au.

The river flows from the mountain to the sea, I am the river, the river is me.

The above whakataukī, (proverb), is linked strongly with the Whanganui river, highlighting the familial connection of local Māori to their awa, their river. So indelible is this link, that the Whanganui River was given the legal rights of a person in 2017 – only the second natural resource in the world to do so.

Our rivers are the arteries that give life to land. They are highways and food sources. They provide fresh water, feed lakes, divert floods and provide energy. They are home to a plethora of life, from the smallest insect to the biggest eel (tuna). They are cool, and fun on a hot summer’s day.

Our awa travel from our maunga (mountains) to moana (sea). In between are lakes and estuaries with their own characters. Rivers are dynamic. Each has its own personality – celebrated and revered by mana whenua – the people of the land.

Standing in a deep river valley, carved over centuries, you soon realise that fishing, in the form that we pursue, is insignificant in the annuls of time. Rivers are more than fishing, but fishing is something that focuses us on this most important of ecosystems.

Riversmiths understand this complexity. Often with rod in hand, we notice the abundance of life under the stones, marvel at the blue duck (Whio) navigating rapid water in search of a meal, and feel ill at the sight of choking week. We are curious about the life cycle of our native eels, and release the most magnificent trout to continue the circle of life.

“Smith” has always been synonymous with craft – from blacksmiths to goldsmiths. Our craft is to understand our rivers, and become closer to something special.

We, along with our fellow anglers, are the Riversmiths.

Naumai, haere mai. Welcome.