Te Hokinga Mai a Te Kuaka Hui Taurima Integrated Learning: Year 9 Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September 2019

Our Place, Our Stories

Our Hui Taurima is an opportunity to learn and acknowledge “our place and our stories” and how they exist in Te Ao Māori.

Background

In Spring the kuaka or godwit depart from their breeding nests in the great Siberian and Alaskan tundra and return to the rich feeding grounds provided by Aotearoa’s tidal flats and coastal marshes. In ancient times this annual arrival of the kuaka was looked as a great event.

For Māori the Kuaka were birds of mystery. They feature prominently in mythology. It was believed that they came from, or at least passed through, the ancestral home, Hawaiki.

The kuaka’s 29,000 km flight from the far reaches of the northern hemisphere to Aotearoa and back again is one of the great odysseys of any living creature. It is a long haul, but the kuaka is a long-haul champion.

We will be celebrating the return of the Kuaka to the Waimea estuary this year through our very own Nayland College Te Hokinga Mai a te Kuaka. The focus will be on learning about our local history and stories through a cross-curricula, place and culturally responsive approach.

Every Year 9 student will be involved, as well as our Maori student leaders, Ngāti Koata Iwi and staff. Our 2019 Hui Taurima will be held on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September.

Students will meet in the Hall Thursday at 9am and Friday in the Red Gym at 8:45am before heading off to their various activities. Students are not required to wear uniform during the Hui Taurima but should wear warm comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear appropriate to their chosen activities. The Waka Haerenga, Sea-Kayaking and Paddle Boarding groups should wear polypropylene or merino clothing, and bring waterproof jackets and beanies. All groups should pack lunch, snacks and a water bottle.

If you have any questions about the Hui Taurima please contact Jane Townsend, Deputy Principal on jane.townsend@nayland.school.nz

Nga manaakitanga,

Jane Townsend

Deputy Principal

Nayland College