Matua Thomas Parata and Whaea Ang Reeves along with ākonga in Te Tāhu Rua Reo make the cover of the Education Gazette this month. Their students of 2021 adorned kākahu and other taonga for special photography sessions to celebrate their identity as ākonga Maori.
The Education Gazette features a main article and cover photo about the extraordinary efforts that Whaea Ang and Matua Thomas at Shirley Intermediate made for their students in 2021. Matua Thomas recounts how their students had missed out on several events such as Kapa Haka due to the pandemic and how this effected their identity to see themselves as ākonga Māori.
Matua Thomas and Whaea Ang wanted to gift the students of Te Tāhu Rua Reo an image of their Māori selves that would last their lifetime; dressed up in Kākahu and other traditional Māori dress and superimposed in front of the spectacular scenery of Arthur's Pass in Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, the Southern Alps.
The images are stunning, magical and a sincere celebration of belonging. Te Tāhu Rua Reo at Shirley Intermediate is the only bilingual class within an intermediate school within the whole of Canterbury.
Thank you also to:
Māori Resource Teacher Gaynor Hakaria and Gaynor's mum - kākahu and other taonga.
Kaiarahi Whaea Adrienne - Styling
Trevor White - Photographer
For the full article online https://issuu.com/edgazette/docs/education_gazette_101.4_book_issuu
