Tīhei mauri ora!

“Ko te reo tuatahi tō te wahine”.

In te ao Māori it is said that the first voice is that of a woman.

Our formal school year began with an important event in the tikanga of our school, the mihi whakatau, or welcome ceremony.

The karanga rang out to call on our new staff and Year 9 students, escorted by Year 13 Peer Support students. The karanga paid tribute to mana whenua and the forebears of our school, and the values that are embedded in all that we do here.

Our Māori prefect and senior reo Māori student Lily Welsh (Ngāi Tai) led our combined Otago Boys’ and Otago Girls’ kapa haka Wairua Pūhou /Young Spirit in haka powhiri.

In passing through the great oak entrance doors and under our pare Hine tītama, our new students began their journey at OGHS.

Lily served as our kaikarakia with a karakia that connected with the environment and the promise of a bright new day. Matua Mac gave the mihi, and then our tumuaki Ms Davidson spoke. Following waiata tautoko for them, our Head Girl Paige Milburn spoke to the audience. Lily concluded with a karakia to to close the formal part of the event.

Nā reira e te whānau whānui, he mihi maioha ki a koutou katoa.