The Ultimate Cross country

A high light of our past week was the Ultimate X Country which Whaea Kate organized for the senior students.  It was literally raining cats and dogs when we arrived at the Smeaton farm, but excitement was running high. We kids followed brother Malcolm’s quad bike through long wet grass, up hills, down hills,  across the paddocks, through the creek and back finally to the cow shed where we hosed off the mud  and changed  into the dry clothes (If we  had remembered to bring them!) Back at school, revived with a hot Milo topped with marshmallows, we were all still bubbling with a sense of excitement and great  achievement.

Thank you Whaea Kate. That was ULTIMATE!

Matariki, a great time to discover more about our heritage.

 On Wednesday 13 of June we travelled down to Bowentown where we spent the day on the Otawhiwhi Marae. While  many of us had been on a marae before; for almost of all of us Otawhiwhi, was a  whole new experience. How sad when it is so close to home!          

 We were a little nervous at first when we  gathered at the gate of the marae. Our teachers had taught us "girls in front, boys behind. no sun glasses, hands out of pockets, hoodies off and keep your head down". Eventually we heard the strange and yet beautiful call of the karanga beckoning  us on to the paepae. We walked slowly as we had been taught and when the karanga stopped we stopped too. This was so we could take time to think about all those who had gone before us but who are no longer alive; our tipuna.

We took off our shoes and sat down on the right hand side of the wharenui. This time it was boys and men in the front and  girls and women in the back row. An old man, a kaumatua, stood to talk to us in Maori. We heard the words Waimata, kura and tamariki so we knew he was welcoming us . When he had finished the others; the tangata whenua,,who sat beside him, stood and supported him with a waiata. It was beautiful!. 

We had invited Thor Ribena, a friend of the school, who speaks Maori, to stand and speak for us. He did so well. Then we stood and  sang Titiro Mai Nga Iwi to support him. We did really well too and I think the tangata whenua were surprised by how well these manuhiri (that was us) could sing. Thor delivered our gift or koha then it was time  for the hongi!

 We had practised it at school  and Ms B said  it might make us nervous "but  no nonsense". We  didn't need to worry. Some of the tangata whenua pressed noses but some shook our hands and others just gave us a high 5.

 Morning tea, when it came was wonderful. The tables were all laid out like a big birthday party. We were very hungry. I think it was because we had been concentrating so hard on the formalities and making our teachers proud of us.

Once our pukus were full, a different type of learning began. We were divided into four groups, littlies with biggies which is the Waimata way. We learned how to weave flax, make string patterns, sing the Matariki waiata and identify the meanings behind the tukutuku patterns and the carvings in the wharenui.  The whaea who taught us were very caring and patient. We learned so much  from them! Lunch time  came way to soon.
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 After lunch Thor took the boys down to the waterfront to learn the haka and Kararaina, the kaiako from the kohunga; the lady who did the  karanga; taught the girls a poi dance.

Sadly it was time to say good bye. Thor spoke, again in Maori, Ms B spoke but not in Maori and then our very own  Blake  got up and thanked the tangata whenua in their own language. The boys all supported him with a rousing haka and the girls did their poi dance . 

What a finale to a great day. Thank you to the whanau at Otawhiwhi!.

Waimata Celebrates the Success Of Two Of Our Young Runners At The Inter-school X Country.

 On Friday  7th of June, Taine and John cleaned up their competition at the Waihi Cluster Inter- School  X country at Morgan Park.
Taine, a year 5 boy and John  a year 6,  both won  decisive victories over contestants from five other schools. Both are expected to go on to the North Cluster Event. 

Watch this space!

Simply Magic!

 Oh what a team, . We may not be the tallest , or the biggest, but "we sure pack a punch". Our defence is great, and Lorraine our coach has us how taught us great ball handling skill.s More importantly we know how to play as a team.  

We are simply Magic!

Our cross country

On Friday May 31st we ran our school cross country. Many of our parents came along to  support us. It was a long run for the Room 3 kids, longer for the Room 2's and then Room1 seemed to be lost in the kiwi fruit orchard for  ever! 

We had been  training each morning at school for a long time but we had never actually run through the kiwi fruit until Friday. It was very shady in there and the kiwi fruit vines hung low in our faces.  Some of the senior kids had to bend over so that they didn't hit their head! 

 It was hard work but fun. Next step.... the inter school cross country this Friday at Morgan Park!