Friday 2 December 2022

Kia ora e te whānau,

With only one more issue of Kia Manawaroa left for 2022, we’re starting to feel the change in energy that creeps up on us at this time of the year, so we’re encouraging you to take it easy, and take every shortcut you possibly can in the lead up to the Christmas break.

Why take shortcuts, you ask? Our kids will be very clear in their minds about what they want over the holiday break, but what they really need is just quality time, opportunities to make memories, and pākeke who are happy and healthy – so look after yourselves! Keep it simple, and leave the Spring cleaning for Spring e hoa mā!

In this issue, we shine a light on entrepreneur and winner of the Office of Ethnic Communities Tohu Whetumatarau, 16-year-old Takaimaania Ngata-Henare who says "I don't believe rangatahi are the future, we are the now.”

We’re celebrating Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa Rangatira who have recently received the green light to open a new kura ā iwi in Porirua which will allow the iwi to use the natural and historic environment of its whenua to educate mokopuna in Ngāti Toa reo.

We see the world through a Māori lens – a lens belonging to acclaimed photographer Te Rawhitiroa Bosch who is now one of the most recognised Māori photographers in Aotearoa.

Does your rangatahi need extra NCEA credits? Te Kura Summer School registrations are open now! If you’re not sure how your rangatahi is tracking with their credits, or you’d like to find out if they would benefit from Summer School to get a higher endorsement, don’t be shy to give the school dean or kaiako a call.

Plus we have the details on the Maramataka Symposium: Embedding Indigenous Knowledge(s) in Education, and a new resource for whānau called Te Kōrerorero: Hei kōrerorero ki te kāinga! Talking Together, Learning in the Home which provides practical and effective ways to foster oral language development in the home.

Also, a final reminder that the Asking Aotearoa New Zealand About Education survey is open until the 9^th of December, and the Consultation on the Proposed School Board Changes Survey is open until the 4^th of December. Have your say e te whānau.

As we said in the last issue, all that matters is that you and the whānau are happy and healthy - everything else is just gravy! Check out the whānau wellbeing section for a free counselling contact, and a list of other support services.

If you have any feedback or story ideas you’d like to share, check out the Kia Manawaroa feedback form or email kia.manawaroa@education.govt.nz.

As always, hope you enjoy this issue and share it with your whānau and friends. Please encourage them to subscribe so they can get our latest pānui to come straight to their inbox.

Nā reira, e mihi ana ki a tātou katoa e aku rangatira.

Ngā mihi o te wā!
Nā mātou te tīma o Kia Manawaroa

"I don't believe rangatahi are the future, we are the now.”
 

Takaimaania Ngata-Henare is no stranger to leading from the front.

The year 12 Huanui College student already runs a successful online business called Māu Designz which specialises in wrapping paper, gift cards, gift bags and stickers - all in te reo Māori.

However, it was her skill as an orator that earned Takaimaania top honours earlier this year, winning the Te Tohu Whetumatarau – The Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision – by impressing the judges with her 10 Steps to Achieving Social Cohesion at the Race Unity Speech Awards.

The theme was Ngā Matimati Nō te Ringa Kotahi (the fingers of one hand) which is about eradicating racism and building unity.

"Different races represent different birds, and different sounds made in nature come together in a beautiful symphony. I believe, as one, we could become a socially cohesive society. We should strive for the harmony they (different birds) have with all the beautiful sounds they make."

Unity between rangatahi and our kaumātua was also on the mind of this young achiever.

"I don't believe rangatahi are the future, we are the now,” she says.

“Because we are young, we do not have prejudice towards certain things. We are still curious, and we constantly look for answers. We don't necessarily see things one way; we want to look at it from different perspectives”

"Rangatahi have ideas, but elders can actually do something about it."

Winning the award was not her only achievement, with Takaimaania now the reigning Northland secondary school table tennis champion. Being the only girl in the boys division (something that hadn’t happened in 20 years) she won 27 out of 28 games.

You can watch Takaimaania’s winning speech here:

Ngāti Toa gets the green light to open a kura ā iwi in Porirua

The world through a Māori lens: Te Rawhitiroa Bosch

With no formal training in photography, Te Rawhitiroa Bosch (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) is now one of the most recognised Māori photographers in Aotearoa. 

“If you’re looking at the world from a Māori lens, then you can understand what’s happening at Māori events. You know where to be, what’s important, you can anticipate what’s going to happen next,” says Te Rawhitiroa.

While still a teenager, his career started after he borrowed his dads point-and-click camera, entered a competition, and won. After he left school, he saved up money from his landscaping job and brought his own camera. The rest is history.

Bosch says his photos shift the perspective of how Māori see ourselves, how Pākehā and tauiwi see Māori, and how Māori are viewed internationally. Trust is the key, saying that a fundamental part of his practice is ensuring that the integrity of te ao Māori is upheld.

“It’s a privilege to be in these spaces and not anyone can get into these spaces where we are practicing our tikanga for real. When you look at the photos, nobody’s acting, it’s not a show. This is us practicing our tikanga, practicing our Māoritanga for real,” he says.

It was a waka fleet gathered on Waitangi Day 2020 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the 1940 launch of Ngātokimatawhaorua, which led Te Rawhitiroa to his latest project, He Kaupapa Waka, a Fleet of Waka, a new exhibition for Te Papa Museum. 

Registrations are now open for Te Kura Summer School

• A New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or verified domestic student
• Residing in New Zealand
• Registering to complete a NCEA Certificate or Endorsement requiring up to:
• 12 credits (if registering before 16 January 2023)
• 6 credits (if registering from 16 January 2023)

Maramataka Symposium: Embedding Indigenous Knowledge(s) in Education
 

New resource: Te Kōrerorero: Hei kōrerorero ki te kāinga! Talking Together, Learning in the Home
 

• A poster
• A pamphlet with information to support oral language learning
• A series of five short, animated videos that illustrate key strategies

Whānau wellbeing and support

Your wellbeing – and that of your whānau – is the most important thing of all. Remember, you can't look after anyone else if you're not looking after yourself. 

If you feel like you might need support, please don't struggle alone. It’s braver to reach out than it is to suffer in silence.  

Call or text 1737 for 24/7 access to a free, trained counsellor or check out the links below for more options:  

Top ways to look after your mental wellbeing
COVID-19 services and support contacts sheet