Tauira (students) and Kaiako (teachers) from Te Kura o Waikare. Photo: RNZ/Taiha Molyneux
A group of kaiako (teachers) and students from Te Kura o Waikare sat quietly among the masses gathered at Waitangi celebrations today.
They listened intently on the grass verge beside Te Whare Rūnanga to whai kōrero, waiata, haka and wero.
Kaiako Tania Koroi Nohotima said Waitangi provided a valuable holistic learning environment for students.
"Ka taea e rātou te kite i te tini me te mano ka tae mai ki ta rātou ake whenua, ki te whai whanaungatanga me te whakarongo ki nga korero.
They get to see the many different faces that come to their whenua, they meet and hear the korero from their elders on the pae, and they build on existing and establish new relationships.
"Ko rātou ngā rangatira mo āpōpō, e tika ana kia timata inaianei tā rātou honongā tahi ki enei mahi.
They are our future leaders; they deserve the opportunity to develop a meaningful depth of understanding.
Kaiako from the kura sat alongside their students' asking questions about what they were hearing. Photo: RNZ/Taiha Molyneux
Kaiako from the kura sat alongside their students' asking questions about what they were hearing and elaborating on karakia being shared.
As politicians made their way to the pae, the kaiako maintained the focus of their tauira (students) on the the kupu (words) of the kōrero, haka and waiata shared.
Koroi Nohotima said involving students in Waitangi celebrations from a very young age helped instil a depth of knowledge and pride in their heritage that classrooms couldn't provide.
"Kia kaua e tatari kia tae ngā tamariki ki ngā tau tekau mā waru, tekau māa iwa tau te pakeke, me kaha mātou ngā pakeke ki te ārahi, ki te awhi i a ratou."
We should be giving our young people access to this knowledge and experience from a very young age we can't wait until they are 18 or 19, we have a responsibility to ensure they understand.
Koroi Nohotima said involving students in Waitangi celebrations from a very young age helped instil a depth of knowledge and pride in their heritage that classrooms couldn't provide. Photo: RNZ/Taiha Molyneux
The growth of rangatahi Māori stepping up to take on crucial and challenging leadership roles for te ao Māori was something Koroi Nohotima hoped would inspire her students.
"Ko tāku nā te kaha o ngā rangatahi i tēnei wā ki te ārahi i ēnei momo kaupapa, he pai kia kite i ngā tamariki kohungahunga e taea ana rātou tōnā wā."
We have seen some amazing young leaders step up and what I love about that, is it sets an example for our tamariki and shows them anything is possible.
Koroi Nohotima said the political theatrics that took place at Waitangi were part and parcel of celebrations, and media attention at that time was to be expected.
However, she believed the most valuable and important experiences at Waitangi occurred where the cameras and the media weren't looking.
"Ki te tae mai ngā tāngata pēnei, ka tae mai te tokomaha ki te uiui ki te kapo whakaahua o ngā matinga nui pea, engari ko ngā momo āhuatanga ka whai tino hua te tangata kei te pupū ake ki muri kē I ngā kāmera, ko te hāpai ō ki muri."
It's understandable that all the cameras appear when things like this happen, they are well known all over the place, its to be expected. But I believe the truly meaningful and empowering things happen behind the cameras, without those in the background, there would be nowhere for the leaders at the front to stand.
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