In week 6, Year 10 classes 10G, 10H, 10R and 10P experienced an outdoor education camp at Purau.

During the camp they slept in tents, climbed the highest peak in Canterbury (Te Ahu Pātiki, Mount Herbert), challenged themselves with kayaking, coasteering, mountain biking; living and working in community for three days and two nights.  

As part of the camps last year, we started to explore the idea of a hāngi as a new activity to be added to the  agenda. After some consultation with Matua Hone Rask and his father, we trialled it in the first round of camps in 2020. We decided to underpin the activity with the idea of kotahitanga and ask each participating student to bring a vegetable koha. This meant that each student would feel like they were a contributor to the final outcome and that they could enjoy the kai as one whānau at the end of the day. 

In the term four camps, we managed four hāngi over the two weeks. As soon as the kaupapa of kai koha was introduced, whānau and students have been very gracious. The kai was amazing and the hangi produced enough to feed the camp and the camp owners Rick and Aileen, who are always very generous to Shirley Boys’ High camping on their property, and other invited locals. There was even left over kai, which we donated to Shirley Boys’ whānau.

The hangi has now become a favourite amongst the students and this year the four classes that have just been on camp were involved in the following tasks:

• Preparing, lighting and maintaining the fire
• Preparing the kai and organising in the baskets
• Removing the ash, and preparing the hot irons
• Laying the hangi and pulling it up

Thoughout the day, the boys have discussions about the technology and science around the hāngi tradition, as well as learning some history about the migration of peoples through the Pacific and to New Zealand.

For many boys and staff, this is their first hāngi experience, and the feedback was this this is a valuable and engaging addition to the camp itinerary.

Year 10 camps are often seen as a little scary and outside student’s comfort zone. 

Full credit to the students of 10H, 10G, 10P and 10R who put themselves out there, tried something new and succeeded in taking the opportunity that was put in front of them. E rere te huata, kapohia!