Last year the Tuakana Team had the opportunity to have class weaving workshops with two expert kaiako weavers Adrian and Michelle Boardman. We were challenged to create delicate rose putiputi out of harakeke.

This year to build on our knowledge and learning from last year, we decided to select people who had an interest in and were skilful in weaving harakeke, to be part of a team of 20 to collaborate and create a ‘Whariki Tāonga’ that would represent our ‘House Colours’.

On April 13,14,15, our team of weavers, under the guidance of the expert kaiako, prepared, dyed and wove the harakeke into a taonga(treasure). Not only did we learn about the importance of the tikanga behind the weaving, we were very proud of how our skill at weaving improved and got easier and quicker each day.

The tāonga is now displayed in the hall above the stage. Just like the tāonga in the library, there will be a pukapuka that will be left in the library explaining the collaborative process and naming of our special treasure:

‘Te Whāriki ō Manawa Tātou’

(The Mat of the Heart of All of Us)

Written by Noa Weyer, Alexia Pascoe, Becky Linton, Hannah Murch & Natasha MacGibbon.

Students involved:

Natasha, Meg, Noa, Hannah, Olivia, Siobhan, Ruby, Genevieve, Libby, Brooke Charlotte, Bethany, Ella, Maria, Tyla, Becky, Alexia, Tayla, Nico, Jack