Te Atamihi Papa made her school and parents proud at last year’s Manu Koorero speech competition. This year, she will return to the regional event, which will take place during Matariki. PHOTO BRIANNA STEWART
Children across the King Country will learn about Matariki at school during June and July, yet for some local kura, it is a way of life.
Mariana Papa is the principal nominee, kaihautuu kura maataamua at Te Wharekura o Maniapoto. She spoke to King Country News about its meaning in their school environment.
“If we whakanui [big up] Matariki at that time, then we’re not living it. It’s like the maramataka Māori [traditional lunar calendar], we live it. We do it every day.
“We can’t really answer that question. We do Matariki, but we do it every day.”
Students’ classwork incorporated Matariki as part of the localised curriculum, which focused currently on the tūpuna Maniapoto and Rereahu.
The youngest students would learn the basics within the kura – with activities like waiata sessions.
“The littlies do it in-house. They’re just learning the history of Matariki … so it’s all about pushing that curriculum, pushing that they understand that ao Māori point of view.”
Senior students would attend two “more challenging” school events, scheduled during Matariki by governing body, the Tainui Teachers’ Association.
“The sole purpose is to celebrate Matariki in a very Māori way by Māori.”
Firstly, the kura’s kapa haka group, which included students from other local schools like Piopio College, was preparing for the regionals in mid-July.
A second highlight would be the regional Manu Koorero speech competition in Hamilton, where Te Wharekura o Maniapoto students would speak alongside those from 15 or so other schools from Tainui areas.
They were expected to do well.
“We have a student here – my daughter Te Atamihi Papa – who last year, in that competition, won both the senior Māori and the senior English [categories]. She’s a winner of regionals, and she won five trophies at the nationals.”
The kura also planned to ask radio station MFM to make a mini documentary about the head girl and boy – the head girl is Te Atamihi, and the head boy is Tainui Te Moana Papaku Stevens – and their recent contributions to the school.
“The point of Matariki is rangatahi. Celebrating their success and their hard work, because it’s the rangatahi that’s going to take us into the future,” Mariana said.
“You don’t have to teach Matariki. You just have to celebrate the future, the new ones coming in, just like when you’re planting a kumara. [Our young ones are] growing leadership, and the values of the kura: aroha, love, respect, honouring yourself and others.”
Centennial Park School will acknowledge Matariki on the final day of the term – although it was also an important part of the curriculum throughout this time of year, according to deputy principal Annabelle Waugh.
“Part of our Matariki study will be to encourage our students to learn about the maramataka, especially as we will be night sky gazing.
“Part of our recent primary school negotiations with the Government included an agreement where schools who wanted to adapt their timetables to suit the maramataka would be looked on more favourably than in the past.”
Students would also be involved in the council Matariki events, including flag raising, and a hautapu which will be held at Te Kūiti Pā.
“Hautapu is basically when foods representing different Matariki stars are cooked in a traditional ceremony, and the steam is released to the dawn sky,” Annabelle said.
This year, Centennial Park would also be saying goodbye to a beloved staff member.
“Our kura Matariki celebration at the end of the term will culminate in a farewell for our kaiaawhina/apotoro/kaikoorero/kaikarakia Matua Isaiah Wallace.
“[He] has been such an integral part of our kura for a number of years. Isaiah has been our kaikōrero (speaker) on the paepae, our minita (minister) for any events requiring special karakia, a kapa haka tutor, a calming influence and role model for our tama.
“[He is also] a key support staff member who works one on one with students requiring extra support and he is also our historian and key contact with local marae, especially Te Kūiti Pā.
“Isaiah is such a gift to our community, and it’s great to see him going into his new role where he is able to develop and strengthen the knowledge and skills that he already has.
“We will miss him, but wish him all the best on his new journey.”
Last year, the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board organised a hautapu event in the field by the Centennial Park grandstand.
“Kai such as an eel representing the awa, chicken representing food from the sky and fish representing food from the moana were placed in a cast iron pot and cooked on an open fire. It was not to be eaten, but rather formed part of the hautapu offering.”
The ceremony was at the “frosty” hour of 5am.
“Most of our children attended … we listened to some speakers sharing their koorero about Matariki and the significance of the hautapu.
“We were informed about the foods in the pot and how they represented the different stars of Matariki. We heard special karakia and watched the steam go up.
“One of the highlights was seeing three fires up around the hills that were lit at the same time as the one for the hautapu. So we could see one up on Motakiora, one up on Rangitoto, and one up on Pukenui. It was beautiful to witness.
“After the hautapu we returned to school where a hot breakfast was waiting for our tamariki. By the time the start of school arrived, the majority of our students were napping in the classrooms,” Annabelle said.
