Te Tau Wha Marae Hui 2012

Well another incredible Maori cultural learning opportunity for our year four tamariki has come to an end for this year.

We began the hikoi with a traditional karakia to bless our journey. We were on the road by 7.35am with Alec Mikaere who we were fortunate enough to have as our bus driver for the trip.  

The first stop was at Lumsden for morning tea and a whare paku.  It is protocol in the Maori culture to bless the food before the consumption of it so we said karakia(grace) before we ate. 

We arrived at Te Rau Aroha Marae at 11.05am as scheduled.  Leoma and Daniel Tawaroa came to tautoko(assist) with the kaikaranga(reply caller) and whaikorero(speech).  Daniel and Leoma are treasures to the Southland area.  They often tautoko when and wherever they are needed.  We were very fortunate to have them awhi(help) us during the powhiri(welcome) once again as they did in 2010.

Once inside Tahu Potiki, the tangata whenua(home people) began the whaikorero process and it was supported by a waiata(song),  Mr Winders replied to the home whaikorero with our manuhiri(visitors) whaikorero.  We sang 'E Hara I Te Mea' to support the whaikorero. Mr Winders put the koha(gift) down in front of the tangata whenua after our waiata and we completed the powhiri with the hongi or shaking of hands.

By the time it was all over, we decided to have lunch in the wharekai(dining hall). The marae's kaumatua(elder) said karakia and we all ate inside this incredibly colourful building(see photos below).

                             

(The music accompanying this slideshow is courtesy of 
roopu 5 during their ukelele activity)

We sat down in the wharekai and the kaumatua began explaining how each of the carvings and panels represented the heart, history and surroundings of the marae and it's people.  

We were taken back into Tahu Potiki where he explained the whakapapa of the iwi and carvings inside this unique wharenui.

The schedule for the rest of the day consisted of a variety of hour long activities which included learning to sing and play 'Tutira Mai Nga Iwi' on the ukelele, making and using rakau, tukutuku patterns, sketching the carvings, treasure hunt / fun worksheets and poi making.  Afternoon tea and dinner was slotted in during the activities.  We completed the rotation of activities around 8.30pm. 

The Snr Kapa Haka helpers set up the wharenui with a few of the teachers while Alec Mikaere(our bus driver) settled everyone down with a korero about the maori culture.  Alec comes from Rotorua and has been brought up immersed in the culture. Who better could have presented that talk to the group than Alec.

Most were in bed by 10.30pm.

Everyone was up by 6.30am and it was all go.  The wharenui was cleared out of bags and mattresses by 7.00am.  Breakfast was at 7.15 while the wharenui was vacuumed.  The bus was loaded, hall and wharekai vacuumed, wharekai mopped, lunches were prepared, showers/whare paku cleaned and mopped and kitchen cleaned and swept.

The Poroporoaki is the farewell ceremony and is the conclusion of a hui. It is a chance for the adult manuhiri and the tangata whenua to express their thoughts, feelings and opinions of the hui.  It was closed by everyone singing 'Tihei Mauri Ora'.

Many of the children/parents at our school would never get the opportunity to visit let alone stay on a marae in their lifetime.  This is an incredible chance to break down the walls that still stand tall towards the Maori culture in many communities.  Speak to any of the past/present pupils/parents/teachers who have gone on the trip and they will tell you that it is an amazing trip and they felt so privileged to have been part of it.

Here are the fantastic shots I captured during the trip.  The music is courtesy of nga roopu 6, 7, 2, 3 and 4 during their ukelele activity.

Finally, I would like to thank my four extremely helpful members(Sofia Machray, Lily Rodger, Rafe Swan and Jason McCulloch) of the senior kapa haka roopu who were chosen to assist the teachers in everything and anything during the trip.  You were absolutely awesome!

From left to right: Jason McCulloch, Rafe Swan, Lily Rodger and Sofia Machray

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