Ko Susan Jackson toku ingoa, Ko tumuaki au, te kura o Papatahora, tena koutou tena koutou, tena tatou katoa

It is a privilege and an honour to stand here and acknowledge and thank all those who have been involved in the creation of the mural we will unveil today.

This has been an exciting and mammoth year long project which commenced in early 2018.

We are delighted to be able to see all the planning, discussions, designs and creativity evident in this mural, showcased for all to admire and comment on, as we unveil the work of art this morning. This mural compliments our already welcoming environment!

Our cultural committee met several times in early 2018, to discuss the vision for the mural. It was important that we conveyed the ‘essence’ of West Melton School and who we are, and to ensure we embed aspects of our cultural narrative throughout the art work.

Te Kura o Papatahora is in an area that is looked after by the people of Taumutu Marae - Ngāti Ruahikihiki (a sub-tribe of Ngāi Tahu). Ngāi Tahu are the kaitiaki (guardians) for the land.

Reflected in the mural you will see….

The mountains and rivers of Te Waipounamu which are very special to Ngāi Tahu. We can see Te Tiritiri-o-Te-mana (the Southern Alps) from our school, especially in the Totara community and on the verandah of the Mānuka Community.

The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in Canterbury.

Ka-Pāki-hi Whaka-teka-teka o Waitaha (The Canterbury Plains) which were covered with a mixture of tussocks and grasses, Kōwhai trees and forest patches, as well as snow, rivers, wetlands and waterways.

Plants found in the area included Tī Kouka, Mānuka, Kōwhai and Tōtara.

Right from the get go, we wanted our mural to be student driven - designed and painted by our student's, for our school, and community. We also specifically wanted a ‘layered effect’ to create additional interest and depth. We had a prime location in mind for our mural...once the old administration building was demolished!

As part of the process, all West Melton students learnt about murals and had the opportunity to submit a design. The cultural committee received many vibrant submissions for consideration. Four with special merit, were selected to present to the Board of Trustees - Daisy F’aavae, Nash Allin, Jasmine Rowland and Josh Winfield all shared their ideas with the Board.

The final result included a collaborative piece which included Josh’ logo, Daisy’s Pacifika weavings, Nash’s landscape and Jasmine's striking circular artwork.

Initially we were going to incorporate a Pātiki (flounder) kowhaiwhai pattern, but after consultation with our local iwi, it was decided that an original adaptation of the Koru would be more appropriate.

All learners who submitted designs were treated to an afternoon at The Christchurch Art Gallery to participate in their ‘Wall to Wall’ exhibition in August. During this trip, we saw a lot of public art and discussed our mural. We were able to paint directly onto the gallery walls as part of the exhibition! We came back inspired!

Some students who contributed to the mural are on camp today, and several have now moved on to high school, However, we are honoured to welcome Jasmine Rowland now in year nine at Rolleston College, to help us celebrate the completed artwork!

Not only did our students paint the mural, but many of our staff and some of our community painted the two colourful weavings which combine the colours of our school whanau groups - Hill, Trickett, Ross, Langdale, Selwyn and Newton.

We also would like to thank Will Ford for the ‘never ending’ expertly cut layers that he provided, Chris Fifield for the impeccable installation, Kyle Austin from ‘All Signed Up’ for the graphics, Resene Paints for their quality products and to the students and staff who carefully worked around the mural in its multitude of locations!

However, there is always someone who leads and oversees important projects, someone who is passionate, dedicated and driven, someone who gives freely of their time in an already busy life to ensure projects are completed to a high standard, someone who coordinates, supports and empowers others to do their best and someone who is proud of our school and only wants the best….it is my pleasure to express my gratitude and thanks on behalf of the school and community to Kathryn Meyers for all the work you have done to ensure we are here today to celebrate the outcome of an outstanding and rewarding project. Without your DRIVE , passion and commitment we wouldn’t have the outstanding result we have today. Thank you!

It has been a mammoth undertaking but we know that you all agree it makes a vibrant statement of who we are as a school and community.

I would like to ask Kathryn, Jasmine, Nash, Josh and Daisy to come forward and unveil the mural.