On Monday 31 October we farewelled our departing Māori students, alongside their kaiako and whānau. 

The event was emceed by the newly appointed 2023 Te Ranga Māreikura leaders, Hinewairua Duncan (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Whātua), Brooklyn Jimenez (Ngāti Porou, Waikato, Rongowhakaata), Te Ao Marama Royal (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tamaterā) and Jess Rowe (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Tahu/Kāi Tahu). These leaders did a wonderful job and displayed immense whakarangatira. 

Each tauira was farewelled with a kōrero about their time at WGC and were presented with a taonga to take with them in their new adventures. At the end of the evening, tauira gathered with their whānau and kaiako to share in a blessing for their pounamu and the students remaining at WGC honoured the leavers with a waiata me te haka tautoko. It was a beautiful evening and we are so proud of our tauira.

Ngā mihi nui ki ngā kaitautoko ko Whaearua, ko Anna Wilson rātou ko Helen Dale for their āwhina on the night.

2022 Leavers:

• Cara Anscombe - Te Rarawa
• Isabella Bailey - Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hamoa
• Maia Bull - Ngāti Porou
• Hannah Cubis - Kai Tāhu, Ngāti Kuki Airani
• Liv Empson - Kai Tāhu
• Keira Fryer - Ngāti Maniapoto
• Hana Kells - Kai Tāhu
• Satchi Kennach - Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Hāmoa
• Anahera Ramsbottom - Te Ātiawa
• Keisha Turner - Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou
• Isabella Williams - Ngātiwai, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri

He ao te rangi ka ūhia, mā te huruhuru te manu ka rere - As the clouds cover the sky, so do feathers enable a bird to fly.

Ka nui te mihi ki ngā raukura o tēnei tau.

Louise Baker