Riporipo Mural Opening 
Thank you to Pa Josh and Whaea Debbie for their ongoing encouragement, and to all who have assisted and supported the project. I also wish to acknowledge our Rector, Mr. Bovey, for supporting the Arts and taking a leap of faith when agreeing for this mural to be created.
A big thank you goes to our artist and mentor, Heneriata Te Whata, for her expertise, creativity, and patience.
To our talented mural artists – Matthew, Kingston, Karam, Lorence, Daniel, Tiaki, Jarreau, Ashton, Ashton, Atta, and Zion – their willingness to embrace new challenges, to paint in the cold and wet and in odd positions, thank you. They have contributed selflessly to an artwork that will forever be part of our school’s history.
Last year, an application for a Creatives NZ grant was put forward, which was successful. This funding enabled a group of creative young men to collaborate with an artist to bring this spectacular mural to life.
Our aim was for the students to engage fully in every aspect of the mural's development and creation.
The mural embodies our school's values and the principles of whakawhanaungatanga – brotherhood, relationships, and belonging. Each figure symbolises a stage of growth: the youngest nurturing potential, self-discovery in the middle figure, and triumph in the raised arms of the eldest. Symbolism and patterns reflect our commitment to cultural heritage and identity, representing paths of knowledge and support.
The project is named Riporipo, or ripples – soft and far-reaching. Just as a new pebble creates ripples that intersect and merge with existing ones, the Riporipo Mural Project aims to create a lasting impact on students, teachers, and families – past, present, and future.
