E ngā kaipupuri o te mauri, e ngā puna reo,
I tēra wahanga o te marautanga-ā-kura, kua tutuki pai te hōtaka e meinga nei, ko “Tahuna te Ahi”. He mea whakapakari i te hunga rangatahi ki roto i ngā taonga kōmirimiri o tuawhakarere.
Last term, we had the privilege of facilitating the programme aptly named, “Tahuna Te Ahi” that was held over 4 weeks at St Peter Chanel School in Motueka.
The programme has been designed to use Māori pedagogies whereby tapping into the other faculties of learning for the individual through a combination of “hands-on as well as listening and repetition.”
The first two weeks consisted on sitting in “Te Whare-o-Tū” i.e. teaching basic mau rākau skills, haka and karakia. The last two weeks consisted of teaching “taonga pūoro, breathing exercise, mōteatea, karakia, learning how to deliver their pēpehā with confidence”.
Some key messages were:
– “He taonga te whakarongo – the ability to listen intently is a sacred treasure”
– “Tama Tū, Tama Ora, Tama Noho, Tama Mate – He who is active remains well, he who is inactive becomes unwell”
– “E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea – I will never be lost for I am a seed sown from Rangiātea.”
The impact on our tamariki over this short period has been profound. Feedback from our tamariki showed:
- 100% of participating students reported gaining a deeper connection and understanding of Te Ao Māori.
- Students reported feeling calm, strong, and proud, with many eager to take their Pēpeha and Mau Rākau skills back home to share with their whānau.
A massive mihi and sincere gratitude to Sean Delany for his leadership, foresight, and dedication in bringing this kaupapa to life. Sean’s commitment to uplifting our tamariki, connecting them with their identity, and creating a safe, empowering space for learning made this achievement possible.
We would like to thank all our funders, Te Tai o Awatea Trust and St Peter Chanel School and the parents for entrusting us with their tamariki.
The hope is that the rangatahi will be able to transition into yr 9 where they are confident, reslient and proud of their heritage.
“Tangata i ako ki te kāinga, tūnga ki te marae, tau ana – he/she who trains at home stands on the marae with dignity.”
