Te Waka Calling Ceremony

Te Waka Ceremony Calling

It was an early start on Thursday 27 February for our 210 Year 10 students, who gathered at Kairaki Beach, where the Waimakariri River flows to the sea, to witness the sunrise and take part in their Calling Ceremony.

The ceremony is part of ‘The Rite Journey’ course, which is a significant component of the Te Waka programme. During this significant occasion, students are ‘called’ by their teachers on their journey towards adulthood. It is also an opportunity for them to acknowledge the end of childhood, and to show gratitude to the people who have influenced them throughout their lives to date.

An important aspect of the ceremony this year saw the students write a childhood behaviour they wished to ‘let go’ of on a stone or shell, then symbolically throw it into the river.

The next Te Waka ceremony, The Departure, took place on Wednesday 11 March, when parents, carers and mentors joined the students to give their blessing and support for the programme, and to reflect together, and express gratitude for, the students’ childhood experiences.