Friday 31 March 2023

Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to the last issue of Kia Manawaroa for term one! We hope you and your loved ones are well!

Before we start, we still need feedback about Kia Manawaroa so we can make it the best we can be. It only takes 45 seconds, but it means a lot to us #ahakoaheitihepounamu

• There will be four extra teacher-only days across 2023 and 2024 and the first one is scheduled for some time in the first two weeks of next term. To find out the exact date for your kura or school, please contact them directly.
   
• The Ministry of Education consultation on new school planning and reporting regulations and supports is still open until Thursday 6 April - have your say e te whānau, your voice is important.

Mapping the stars to reclaim time: Nikau Hindin and the art of aute

Nikau Hindin of Ngāi Tūpoto, Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi is an aute maker who uses the maramataka and celestial navigation knowledge to reclaim Māori concepts of time.

The practice of aute takes its name from the plant aute, which was a canoe plant introduced to Aotearoa alongside many others such as kūmara and taro.

Aute was brought here by our tīpuna who, using the vast knowledge of celestial navigation, sailed Te Moana Nui a Kiwa from Hawaiki and eventually made Aotearoa their home.

At some point the practice of Aute was discontinued. Nikau has spent the last decade dedicated to remembering and reinvigorating the practice of aute in Aotearoa.

It revolves around the life cycle of the plant, from growing and harvesting, to processing the inner bark and creating a fine cloth.

Painting with natural earth pigments, she works intimately with plants and tools that come from the natural environment and aligns her practices with the maramataka, the Māori stellar-lunar calendar. 

The maramataka, whether we subscribe to it or not, relates to all of us and the way we interact with our natural environment every day.

There has been a major revitalisation of maramataka within te ao Māori over the years, supported by the normalisation of narratives around Matariki being led nationally by the likes of Dr Rangi Mātāmua of Tūhoe.

“After reading Dr Rangi Mātāmua’s book Matariki, I was able to link the whetū with our maramataka. I realised that Matariki is just one of the significant morning stars used to track time – there are other stars to learn about that are associated with every new month and moon cycle,” says Nikau.

 Kōkirihia: a plan to end streaming in NZ

Kōkiriha – a plan to remove streaming from schools in Aotearoa – was launched in Ōtautahi last week, led by Tokona Te Raki, supported by Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, and endorsed by the Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group.

Streaming, also known as ‘ability grouping’, is where kids are separated into different groups at school or kura based on their perceived ability to achieve academically.

This means the kids in the group with a higher level of perceived ability are given more challenging work, and are encouraged and expected to achieve well academically and move into tertiary study.

Conversely, the group of kids with the lower level of perceived ability are given less challenging work, and less is expected from them in terms of what they’ll achieve academically. Sometimes they’re encouraged to leave school and take a vocational pathway, like learning a trade, rather than staying in school and aiming to get into university.

While the negative impacts of streaming are widespread among all demographics, research shows that it’s particularly damaging for Māori and Pacific kids.

Kōkirihia includes the whakapapa of streaming, showcases alternatives to streaming, and outlines the actions key agencies have committed to, to end streaming in schools by 2030.

Read Kōkiriha here | Tokona Te Raki

Te reo Māori scholarships

Scholarships for graduates of kōhanga reo

• Be studying te reo Māori at a tertiary level

• Show there is a te reo component to your undergraduate or post-graduate studies. For example, te reo Māori could be part of your subject matter, or it could be a thesis completed in te reo Māori.

Have your say: New bill to recognise the unique role and contribution of wānanga

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. 

Don't be shy, and don't think you're the only one - there are a LOT of whānau out there going through it right now.

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

Find out how Whānau Ora can help you

Helplines and support | Mental Health Foundation