Ohomairangi's Toi Māori panels at Hagley Provision

A special thank you to my teacher Bryanna for understanding and supporting my taha Māori, nurturing me on my journey through a Te Ao Māori lens, and always believing in me.

Thank you to all staff at Ko Taku Reo for your support and guidance and for helping me to fill the missing space in my heart and my deaf identity. For the nurturing of Te Puna Wai o Waipapa, ngā mihi, I love this kura.

The meaning of my design:

Rāranga: Binding & coming together of Deaf students, the Deaf community, and their whānau. The intertwining of hands into signs. Small Koru: Our deaf pēpē and tamariki. The upcoming generation should be nurtured and valued at the forefront of our minds. As they learn and grow, the koru unfurls.

Large Koru: Depicts the journey of the Deaf person, growing and developing to be knowledgeable and strong. Come to a place of self-confidence and belief.

The space between the koru is the safe space, our Ko Taku Reo room, where we share ideas and learn about each other and life. It's a space where we can take risks, lay ourselves bare, be open and honest, and show our vulnerability because we trust that those around us will hold us up.

Etches: These are the Barriers we face being deaf, which are different for each person. For me, these were communication, the embarrassment of hearing aids, learning and behaviour challenges, difficulty finding a job, missing out on what others were saying, not feeling understood and accepted in the world, struggling to fit into Te Ao Pakeha, not being able to use my first language Te Reo every day.

Taniwha: These are what guide us and keep us stable. Our teachers, leaders and loved ones, our whānau, our village of support. They teach us that we don't have to be afraid of new challenges and show us how to be confident in ourselves, teaching us values and life skills. At the Hagley provision, each person is valued for who they are. We all have things to learn and barriers to break down. I love this place, and I am so thankful.

“Maa mua ka kite a muri, maa muri ka ora a mua. "

"Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead."

Arohanui Ohomairangi Te Hora Tawaka