Wānanga at Tirorangi Marae, Ohakune

WĀNANGA AT

Tirorangi Marae Ohakune

THE SCIENCE TEACHING LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME IS COMMITTED TO GROWING THE CAPACITY OF KURA AND SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE TAUIRA STUDENTS WITH MEANINGFUL AND RELEVANT PŪTAIAO SCIENCE EXPERIENCES IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE WORLD OF TE AO MĀORI IS CENTRAL TO THIS KAUPAPA.

In Hui-tanguru February, the 2020 cohort of participant teachers travelled to Tirorangi Marae, beside the sacred maunga of Ruapehu, to work alongside tangata whenua to experience pūtaiao science through the lens of mātauranga Māori. Local kaumātua shared their knowledge through pūrākau legends and explored the local whenua from multiple perspectives. The wānanga resonated deeply with kaiako as they built whanaungatanga relationships, mahi ngā tahi worked together and supported each other.

“The Wānanga at Tirorangi Marae was an immersion into mātauranga Māori. In this experience I explored what it means to be connected. As the week unfolded, I stepped into a way of thinking of how I am connected to the world. Mātua Keith, Craig and Hikoa shared their wisdom on how observing Papatūānuku can give us information about what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. The key question that resonated with me was ‘How am I connected to this awa?’ and therefore ‘What can we do for the awa, not what can the awa do for us?’ Bringing this question back home, I am looking at the school physical environment with a new lens and how I can promote science with support from the concept of Ngā Atua. On our school property we have a bush area that I would like to explore with the idea of ngahere, that we are connected with the forest.”

SHARON GIBSON, PAUATAHANUI SCHOOL

VIEW MORE ON THE SCIENCE TEACHING LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

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