Last Thursday all the Year 10s were very fortunate to finally be able to participate in the annual Puketeraki Marae experience at Karitāne. We had to reschedule the trip several times this year due to changes to Covid 19 alert levels and so it was offered as a day trip instead of the usual noho (overnight) experience.

After arriving at Karitāne In the morning we were formally welcomed onto the Marae with an ex-student Rauhina Scott-Fyfe acting as our kaikaranga and kaumatua Koro Pita Kara speaking on our behalf as the kaikorero. For many girls this was their first experience of being welcomed onto the marae and helped to demystify what being involved in a formal pōwhiri was all about. We were able to sing our waiata which we had been busy practising at school in the lead up to the trip and watch and learn whilst the formalities took place. After our formal welcome we were able to participate in many learning activities helped by the various tutors such as flax-weaving, oral storytelling by a kaumātua as well as traditional games. We also had the opportunity to visit the previously impenetrable fortress of the Huriawa Pā site where we learned about the past actions of the Kāi Tahu chief Te Wera from one of our parents and educators Matua Kane Holmes.

Overall we were able to compress a lot of learning into a single day! The trip was a culturally enriching one and many students commented how beautiful it was to be on the marae and learning in an authentic context. We are very grateful to all the tutors and teachers and would like to thank them as well as the people of Puketeraki Marae for making us feel so welcome.