Two of our Year 7/8 students were recently invited to take part in an Easter Wānanga Taiaha at Taumutu Te Awhitu Estate.  Hunter and Roman Keno attended the 5 day workshop to learn more about the use and importance of taiaha.   Hunter has written an overview of their time below.  Tino pai rawa atu!

During the Easter break Matua Anton, my brother Roman and I took part in a Māori wānanga. If you don't know what a wānanga is it is when you gather together to learn. The rules of the wānanga were very clear from the start - no swearing, no bullying, no devices, and no violence - not that you should do any of that stuff anyway! 60 students from our area came together to work hard to learn how to use  taiaha correctly.

The daily schedule was quite similar, except for the one wet night after the cyclone had hit and most of our beds ended up being wet through. Due to this some of the children moved to the marae down the road while the older kids and the adults would stay in the tent.  Each day on waking we would pack up and put all our stuff in the middle of the tent where it was dry.  After the move we had breakfast, we feasted on sausages and spaghetti. It was delicious and made up for the dreadful night we had experienced!   We trained for the rest of the day with lunch in the middle and dinner at the end. The training was learning how to use a taiaha correctly and the rules.  Some of the key things we found out were you aren’t allowed to step over the taiaha, don't take the taiaha into the toilet, don't touch someone else's taiaha, don't hit someone with your taiaha and, don't eat with your taiaha - common sense really! The schedule was the same each day with breaks and games in the middle.  When we had a break, one of our favourite games quickly became who can touch the electric fence.

The last day was the most fun because we got to show our families all the hard work we had put in over the last four days. We woke up at 6 am,  we cleaned up,  making sure  to get every piece of rubbish so nothing was left behind. Then we put our bags outside and we had to run back to the tent to train. We were all still tired and full from the roast meal and bonfire the night before.  

That afternoon the parents walked in one by one, I could see my parents smiling. We performed for them and I felt so happy because I knew it was awesome and we gave it our all. Then we walked over to the tent and stood there waiting to be reunited with our families.   It was freezing and I just couldn't wait to see my parents. After it was over, I said to Mum "Do you have a shirt for me? I'm freezing!"   She just laughed.

Written by Hunter Keno