Our Tuakana Team were invited to submit writing for Write On Magazine's ‘It’s Only Natural’ Competition for Years 4-6. The brief was to write a piece of non-fiction prose that draws us closer to nature and engages the reader in some aspect of the natural world that you love! 

Congratulations to Macy Bull whose writing was a winning piece in the Year 4-6 category.  Lilly Peddie and Emily Herd were awarded Highly Commended. You can enjoy their writing here...

Morning Dancer

The classroom, once dark and sombre, now cheerful and perky, because of one small piwakawaka. It swooped in, and perched on a rickety twig outside the window. Then it began to dance along the branches, filled with grace and beauty. Leaping from branch to branch, twisting and turning through the air, her voice singing along beautifully, hitting every single note. The performance was memorising. It continued to prance and sashay, spiralling and curving along the frail branches, so elegantly, nobody could bare to look away. Her beautiful tail swished along to the beat of her music, and even the breeze could not disturb the dance. The performance seemed to last forever, but with one final pirouette, she finished with a graceful bow, and soared nimbly away into the heavens, leaving everyone in astounded silence.

Macy Bull

Year 6

It's Only Natural

I walk along the river path. Above me, apple-green, pencil-lean leaves tickle the wind. Cloves of seeds hang, ready to begin their voyage. The umbrella of branches stretch out towards the sky, casting shadows across the ground. The sunlight through the trees sends an eerie glow. I watch monarch butterflies zigzag through the air, their sunset-orange wings fluttering frantically. The birds soak up the sunshine, chirping like gleeful children. The sun is on my face, sending delightful tingles down my back. Kowhai flowers hang, bright yellow like butter, their seeds like little droplets frozen in time. On the water, two ducks appear as dark silhouettes against the light reflecting off the fast-moving water. Reflections play around them in blossom-pink, olive-green and cherry-red. Spring is here.

Lilly Peddie

Year 6

The Mutton Bird

Did you know that another name for a mutton bird is sooty shearwater or titi? Well today I will be telling you about mutton birds, some facts about mutton birds, how you hunt them, and most of all my family's tale.

Hunting a Mutton Bird

How you hunt a mutton bird sounds quite brutal but trust me, they die with no pain. First what you need to do to hunt a mutton bird is you need to find their nests. Their nests are little holes in the ground like where bunny rabbits live. Once you find their nests you reach down into their nest and take them out. Then this is the brutal part, but like I said, they die in no pain. So you need to have fast but strong hands. Yeah, you use your hands with no tools. With your bare hands you snap their necks off!

Cooking Mutton Birds

Everyone has their own ideas on the best way to cook mutton birds. I have heard of people soaking them in water for three days, changing the water many times while boiling them or cooking them in the microwave without boiling them. I have even heard of people cooking them with a rock. This is the best way I have found to cook mutton birds.

My Family Tale

Now that you know more about mutton birds, let me tell you a true personal story. My great uncle liked to hunt mutton birds. He did it all the time but one day he did something horrible. He killed a white mutton bird, I know it doesn't sound that bad but people say if you kill a white mutton bird it is very very bad luck and that is true because after he snapped off the neck of the mutton bird something happened. Nobody knows what happened but the next day sadly he died. That is a good lesson never to kill a white mutton bird.

Emily Herd

Year 5