Photo, Andy Campbell
UNVEILING the mural at Central Kids Kindergarten Ōtorohanga on Friday was a nerve-wracking moment for the artists and teachers Gemma Harding and Trish Osterman, pictured.
The work was about to be shown to a crowd of about 120, many of whom had input into what was portrayed in the two-panel mural.
“Right from the very beginning the kindy children, whānau, even the wider community have had a part in what they want visually represented there – their culture, values, beliefs,” Gemma said.
“Their favourite places they like to visit and favourite places that hold special meaning to them,” Trish said.
Deciding what was going to be represented in the mural’s celebration of culture and where it would be placed was a long process that took most of last term, she said.
“The whole kindergarten whānau has been part of this,” Trish said.
“We had like, ideas up on the white board, people would then write down what they wanted, concept sketches, and they said what they liked and what they wanted to add,” Gemma said.
“We pulled all those ideas together. We just wanted to make sure everybody could really see themselves, see their beliefs. There’s a little bit of everybody from our kindy up there,” Trish said.
There are plenty of little things hiding amongst the larger images.
“We like to take care of insects and bugs and show a lot of manaakitanga here, so there’s quite a few insects and things hiding.”
There are also Papatuanuku and Ranginui and te rā. “Love” is written in Thai, German, Fijian and te reo Māori on the heart near the centre with space for other languages to be added.
There are nine Matariki stars, and a Fijian tapa cloth in the corner, with patterning advice provided by Fijian whānau.
Gemma and Trish believe the whakataukī (proverb) gifted by another whānau member will be symbolic for the children while they are at kindy.
