In Rauawa we have been learn about Māori traditions like making korowai cloaks and a class waka. We also demonstrate and embrace tikanga Māori with kindness and respect.

Last week of term 2! Have a fantastic holiday break everyone.

In Rauawa we are committeed to the Māori tradition of practising Tikanga Māori. This ancient custom shows respect for our ancestors and nature.

One of the valued practices we have undertaken this term is making a class waka, a symbol of unity and journey. It represents strength and resilience, just like our community when we support each other.

Art is a lovely way to embrace Te Ao Māori. The children loved making the feathers and decorating our korowai cloak. The cloak represents heritage and skill passed down through generations. We also did some fabulous art as a celebration of matariki.

In Tikanga Māori, the words we use carry wisdom and guidance. As staff we are modelling and using te reo for greetings, commands, colours, and counting as well as incorporating te reo into our shared book. We also enjoy Māori waiata as part of our morning circle as well as completing a simple mihi with the children.

We are also committed to increasing our use of te reo and encouraging and modelling tikanga Māori. Children are encouraged not to sit on tables, to walk around rather than step over other people's legs, we say a kaiakia before kai and during our morning circle we say a learning karakia and whakatauki. Rauawa team embrace these traditions, learning from the past to guide us in the present. We appreciate the importance of learning about tikanga and te reo ourselves so we can teach this to the next generations.