Ki aku nui, ki aku rahi, mō te taha o te whare Mataī, tēnei te mihi mahana ki a kōutou katoa. “Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu. Adorn the bird with feathers that it may fly.”

I look back at my first year of teaching, in 2014, when I was placed in Mataī House as the Tutor teacher of MWha. It was a year of triumph. Mataī won both the senior and junior house shields and I survived my first year, a bit battered and bruised, but “whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,” right? But if I think about those students and teachers of that period, who gave up their time and energy every single week to face challenge after challenge, who sowed into our house and our school, who constantly displayed that “never say die attitude,” it is not surprising that we were so successful, and it was my privilege to be a part of that.

Can we repeat our success? Well, we have the team to do it, with a strong, capable cohort of Senior House Captains - Karl Meyers, Jurnee Stack, Brianna Hunt, Cydnee Bowen and led by Finlay Mably.  We also have fresh blood within the ranks, with our recently selected Junior House Captains – Aidan Lipsham, Aleysha Stacey, Lachie Reid, Laura Findlay and Dearna Atkinson – coupled with an amazing team of tutor teachers, who are diverse in their wisdom and ability. I guess only time will tell…..

Mataī currently sits in 2nd place behind Tōtara, but it’s early days and the competition is tight, with the order changing frequently.

Needless to say, it is my absolute pleasure to be able to don the colours and wave the blue flag once more.

Go you big, bad, blue machine!!

Matua Remihana Emery - Matai Dean