Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori Course - Acknowledgment of Staff

He mihi nui ki a Craig Squire, rātou ko Carla Smith, ko Kirsten Dell-Hartgers, ko Nicky Tindall. They completed Level 2 Te Reo Māori course at the end of Term 2. A graduation ceremony was held at Te Aratai in recognition of their achievement, alongside over 200 kaiako from across Ōtautahi.

He whakanui, hei mihi atu ki ā rātou whakatutukitanga tino miharo.

Regional Manu Kōrero

Manu Kōrero 2024 was held at Haeata in June Week 6 Thursday and Friday.

Our Junior Māori Speaker - Kahutaiki Calman Ngāi Tahu / Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Toarangatira (Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington), Raukawa (Waikato) spoke with great mana and delivered an 8 minute kōrero in full Te Reo Māori challenging the crowd and inspiring future students. She was placed 6th.

Our Senior English Speaker - Mānuera Riwai - Couch Ngāi Tahu / Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitane was amazing, standing in the impromptu and prepared section. We are fortunate to have such a strong and fluent speaker within our kura. Mānuera placed 3rd overall and was a credit to his whānau and our kura.

Te Kapa haka o Kimihia - National Representation

We had 6 students competing for Kimihia at the National Kapa Haka Competition. They were Tazmann Poihipi (13) Denver Stirling (13) Mānuera Riwai-Couch (13) Nukutai Rupene (13) Scarlet Tuipulotu (12) and Nariah Devereux (11). They are part of a kapa from Christchurch Girls and Boys High, Haeta Community College and Te Aratai. Coming third in the Regional competition allowed us a placing at the Nationals. After many dedicated practice sessions of learning waiata, haka, actions, voice development, choral, choreography. They were ready to make a stand on the National stage at Whakatū. He tino miharo rātou. They were amazing, making their parents, tutors and kaiako really proud. We place.

A huge mihi must go to the tutors to Te Aratai and Ngāi Tūāhuriri at Tuahiwi Marae who hosted the kapa for their practices.

Te Mana Raupō Kahui Ako Staff Only Day

Cashmere High School hosted our Te Mana Raupō Kāhui Ako on the Staff Only Day on the 31st of May. Our School Kapa Haka group opened this event with a mihi whakatau and an opening kōrero from Matua Josh Thompson. This conference type approach included a keynote address from Lynne Harata Te-Aika (Ngāi Tahu) followed by a number of different professional development sessions for staff across different schools in our cluster (early childhood, primary, intermediate and secondary).

Furthermore we had many comments from attendees acknowledging our students in the Kapa Haka group this included the mihi whakatau and haka to Lynne after her presentation.

Whānau Form Class and Kapa Haka Acknowledgment

At the end of the Term 2, our whānau form class and our kapa haka group had shared kai to acknowledge all of the extra time and effort that they put into supporting events at Cashmere High School. These are over and above what would be expected of other groups and often involve time in the weekends and during the school holidays. We need to continue to acknowledge the mana of this group and the contributions towards wider school, regional and national events.

Physical Education and Health New Zealand Conference

During the term 2 holidays Cashmere High School hosted the National Physical Education New Zealand (PENZ) conference for all Physical Education, Health and Outdoor Education teachers across New Zealand. This was a huge conference event that involved our own Physical Education staff presenting and a large amount of organisation from our Head of Faculty Tessa Te Kahu. During this conference Tessa and Hayden Beaumont presented the faculty cultural narrative developed for the Physical Education, Health and Outdoor Eudcation department. This cultural narrative is woven through the curriculum, topics and tasks delivered to our students.

We are again hugely grateful for the group of students and staff from our whānau who came to school on the first Monday of the holidays to tautoko the opening Pōwhiri for this large group. This included karanga from Whaea Miriama Setterington, Whaikōrero from Matua Josh Thompson and speakers from Ngai Tahu. We are continually developing our relationship with Tuahiwi and Ngai Tahu to ensure that we are authentic in our approach to all aspects of Te Ao Māori.